THE MOTTO

Bishop Serverus Jjumba’s motto is “Nos Autem Praedicamus Christum Crucifixum” – a Latin phrase meaning “But we proclaim Christ Crucified.”

 By giving us this Motto, Bishop Serverus Jjumba invites us to pray with the Liturgist:

“Father we honour the Crucifix as the sign of our redemption. May we reap the harvest of salvation planted in pain by Christ Jesus. May our sins be nailed to His Cross, the Power of life Released, pride Conquered and weakness turned to Strength. May the cross be our comfort in trouble, our refuge in the face of danger, our safe guard on life’s journey until you welcome us to our heavenly home. Cfr. Book of Blessings.” Amen.

COAT OF ARMS

Each Coat of Arm is unique to a particular Bishop, Archbishop or Cardinal; and it symbolizes his origins, previous services, devotions, interests, visions, insignia and spirituality.

The Coat of Arm of Rt. Rev. Serverus Jjumba is a simple one. It reflects devotion to the Virgin Mary by the blue and white colours at the base with the letter “M” and twelve stars, (Rev. 12: 1ff). Giving our Mother Mary pronouncement on the Coat of Arms keeps the New Bishop in the footsteps of the Missionaries who entrusted Uganda to the patronage of Mother Mary and in the lineage of his predecessors late Archbishop Kiwanuka, late Bishop Ddungu and Rt. Rev. John Baptist Kaggwa.

Archbishop Kiwanuka’s Motto was “Monstra te esse Matrem” “Manifest the Mother you are or Demonstrate that you are the Mother”

Bishop Adrian K. Ddungu “Sub tum Praesidium” was his Motto. Translated; “We take refuge to your (Mary) blessed protection” or “Under your patronage”.

Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa on the other hand included “M” to symbolize devotion to Mother Mary.

Additionally, the Coat of Arms of Bishop Serverus Jjumba has a banana plant with a fruit. This symbolizes matooke not only as a staple food in the Diocese but also his vision that each household in the Diocese must endeavor to produce enough food for the members and have a surplus for the market. “EFFORTS TOWARDS FOOD SECURITY”

A coffee twig with red berries: This signifies the spirit of synod V of Masaka Diocese: The spirit of and struggle towards self-reliance. (Masaka eyeyimirizaawo, Essaza eryeyimirizaawo). Every Faithful in the Diocese must find or create an income generating JOB. This should cross cut all strata of society in the Diocese: household, Parish and Diocese.

The Coat of Arms is divided into two main colours: White and Yellow. The two symbolize heaven and Earth and more importantly Loyalty to the Roman Pontiff. “There will be only one flock and only one shepherd” (Jn 10:14).

The usual cross found in every Bishop’s Coat of Arms has been upgraded into a crucifix and signifies the Motto and the content of our evangelization. It also points to Bishop Serverus Jjumba’s Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.

To sum  up the Motto “Nos Autem Praedicamus Christum Crucifixum” “But we proclaim Christ Crucified” summaries the spirituality and understanding of the priestly ministry and content of the proclamation. His vision of the Mission. This was the Motto of the New Bishop in 1992 when he was ordained a priest and he reiterated his conviction of the power and wisdom of God in the Crucified Christ when he made it a theme of his Priestly Silver Jubilee on 8th July 2017.

As the prayer for blessing a crucifix expounds, Bishop Serverus Jjumba believes that the tree once a source of shame and death for human kind in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3: 1-7), has become the source of our redemption and life for all who have been called (1Cor 1:24-25).

Jesus turned it into a royal throne (Kwayima okufuga), His pulpit of Truth (Kwayima okuyigiriza amazima) cfr. Hymnal MTO No. 209 and ultimately HIS ALTAR OF SACRIFICE where he makes the first and one, lasting Sacrifice of Mass “Do this in memory of me”. The cross therefore is the first Altar and hence signifies Jesus’ saving action and presence.

It is on the cross that Jesus triumphed over our age – old enemy drawing all things to himself with his blood.

The New Bishop believes: Gazing at and following Jesus to Calvary will enable us to overcome our selfishness, free us from the power and reign of satan, equip us with the fruits of the Holy Spirit: Faith, charity, joy, peace, chastity, abstinence…Gal 5:22-23

When Jesus opens out his arms and offers his life for us; He makes the sacrifice of the New Law that gives to the sacraments their saving power. (Masaka has been praying to Mary to mark the centenary of apparitions at Fatima: “Twagazise nnyo Amasakramentu amatukuvu gonna, tufune enneema ezinatuyamba okuluubirira obutuukirivu awatali kukoowa” The cross gives the faithful in Masaka and indeed every catholic the impetus to pursue sanctity, enables the faithful to strive after holiness as our Lord’s command goes; “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5: 48).

The cross reminds all that the grain of wheat must die to bring forth an abundant harvest. The Bishop Serverus Jjumba is making an invitation to the flock to die to self in every vocation so that we may get JOY for the married, Religious and Clergy.​

A Coat of Arms must therefore be displayed officially as a symbol of the Bishop and of the Diocese in all official documents, buildings, websites and all activities related to the Bishop and the Diocese. Because a Bishop is the shepherd of the Faithful in his Diocese, his Coat of Arms is meant to be used by him. Also, as shepherd of the faithful, the Bishop’s shield is a symbol of protection: Protection of the Faith, Hope and Love of the faithful in his Diocese.​