Applications are due by Wednesday, April 30, 2025

This experience is for young adults who are ages 18-35. We are limiting the trip to 8-12 young adults. To be considered, the application and interview must be completed by April 30.

The trip is being led by Jake Seifert, director of Missions, Maureen Quinn, Director of Religious Ed, Youth and Young Adults, and Fr. Joseph Luzindana, Diocesan missionary priest from Uganda and moderator for youth.

The actual cost for the trip is roughly $5000 but we will be charging $2000 per individual which includes airfare, ground transportation, security, lodging, breakfast, and most days another meal. Attendees are responsible for meals while traveling to and from Uganda, voluntary excursion expenses and shopping, some tips, alcohol, and some meals on your own. Individuals are also responsible for any cost to access passports or receive vaccines.

Scholarships are available upon request. Also resources for requesting financial support from others will be provided.

We will have experiences throughout the country, which will including educational, immersion and faith experiences. Our service will majority of the time include accompaniment with young people in Africa and could include providing a retreat for youth at the YES Centre.  

The trip dates are not finalized but it should be expected that the trip will be about two weeks in length in the windo of January 5-28, 2026. We will finalize dates based off of cost of flights and best time for visiting Uganda. 

The pilgrimage will be spent in the country of Uganda, primarily in the archdiocese of Kampala. We will be visiting the YES Centre, numerous parishes and schools which have been supported by the Mission Office in our diocese, and an opportunity to see the animals of Africa. We will also go to numerous locations that honor the martyrs of Uganda. 

This pilgrimage opportunity will allow young people to visit a holy place.   Uganda is a beautiful place where the Church is young and continues to see growth. We hope those who attend are inspired by the faith of the Ugandans and recognize the beauty of our universal church.  Through this experience, we hope that young people are rejuvenated in their own faith journey and come home with pride and joy for the Catholic faith, while being inspired to share the joy and love of the African people.

April 30: Complete Application and Interview.

May 14: We will inform those selected.

June 1: $100 Deposit is due to secure spot.

September 1: $400 payment is due.

November 1: $1500 final payment is due, as well as copies of passport and Yellow Fever Vaccine card OR exemption letter from doctor. Also you must be Virtus Compliant by this time.

• If payment schedule above needs to be indvidually modified we are willing to accomodate but you should reach out to us individually.

Monthly meetings will take place from September through December. One meeting will include a dinner with Bishop McKnight.

Those attending will be asked to keep a diary of their journey, either in writing or video that can be shared with others when they return to the states. Also the group will be asked to share their experience with their parish and diocese through a possibility of numerous outlets, including video, podcast, testimony or talk, writing for missions newsletter, interview for Catholic Missourian.