There are saints that we all know and there are saints that we have never met. I never knew about St. Charles till yesterday, so now you get to meet him!Lived from 1886 to 1964
Hometown: Uganda, Africa
Feast Day: June 3rd
St. Charles lived during the time of the first Catholic missions in Central Africa. Uganda had made progress in the 1870s, and priests were able to convert several citizens and a number of pages who worked in the king's court. Charles learned the faith from the missionary priests and entered into service as one of the king's pages before he was baptized. He served as an assistant to St. Joseph Mukaso, the chief page under king Mwanga. Joseph was active in protecting the rest of the pages against the king, who was not only anti-Christian but also liked to commit sexual abuse with his pages. However, after St. Joseph spoke out openly against the king he was beheaded. In stepped St. Charles Lwanga, who was baptized on the night of his predecessor's martyrdom. He took charge of the pages, secretly baptizing four of them, and encouraging many others to be baptized. 6 months later, King Mwanga learned that there were Christians among them and ordered that the Christians be separated from the others. Charles and his group stepped forward, all between the ages of 13 and 25. They were willing to keep their faith to the death and that's what they did. Charles, as older, was separated from the rest and burned at the stake. For more information:
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=488
St. Charles, thank you for your martyrdom for the faith. You had faith not only in God but also in the young people you worked with and yourself. Give us your faith and confidence and be present for the youth in Africa and around the world. Pray for us!
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