'Wonderful tribute' to Kettering woman who supported Ugandan refugee camp as hundreds attend simultaneous masses

Masses were held in Northamptonshire and Uganda simultaneously for popular Margaret Anderson

Requiem masses were held simultaneously in Northamptonshire and in a refugee camp 4,000 miles away in Uganda for a popular Kettering woman.

Hundreds of worshippers attended the open air mass in the Uganda Hoima Diocese for Margaret Anderson, while at the same time worshippers at St Edward’s Church in Kettering marked her passing.

Mrs Anderson, 70, died on October 17 after a short illness. For more than 20 years she had supported the refugee camp, which houses tens of thousands of people fleeing wars in neighbouring countries.

Part of the Ugandan congregation converging for a final farewell to Margaret

She hosted the camp’s senior priest, Father Jo Kizito, on his visits to Kettering as a relief holiday priest at St Edward’s Church. And she helped raise funds for the camp both personally and as president of the Kettering Union of Catholic Mothers.

Margaret’s husband, Peter, said: “Father Jo arranged it so his open air mass started at the same time as ours here in Kettering.

"Several hundred of his parishioners attended. It was a wonderful tribute to a wonderful woman.”

Father Jo said: “A very huge congregation turned up for the mass which consoled me so much! Father. Jude, our area Dean, preached so well about Margaret's love not only for her family but broadly for God, including Fr. Jo and his suffering refugees.”