Fr Picavet: The man Busoga loved and will dearly miss

Grief swept through homes in Buyala Village, Jinja District. Grey-haired, Efrance Kasuswa propped her chin with the left palm, seemingly questioning how awful death can be.
She mumbled to her daughter. The two shared sitting space on a wooden bench with two of her granddaughters. In a split second, Kasuswa wiped tears from her eyes with the back of her right hand and then exclaimed loudly, in Lusoga, a local dialect, and clapped before pointing to a home only partly visible through a forested foreground.
This was the home of fallen priest and philanthropist, the Rev Fr Peter Gerald Picavet. With his passing on Wednesday last week, many locals told of a loss of a friend, good neighbour, an associate, parent and more.

“Father was there for us in many aspects. When we fell sick, he treated us because he had set up an affordable health facility. My feet had grown abnormally and I was able to access treatment at the centre. My eyes were sick and I got treated. We are deeply saddened by Fr Picavet’s death,” Kasuswa mournfully explains.
Her daughter, Prossy Nambwera, tells of a man who was a father in church in Buyala Village. He loved children and supported many in school. As a mother, I have lost a great supporter and friend,” she says.

Friend of kingdom
Fr Picavet died at the age of 82 from cardiac complications. 
“It is with profound sadness that I am eulogising an illustrious son of Busoga, Rev Fr Gerald Picavet,” announced the Kyabazinga (king of Busoga), His Royal Highness William Gabula Nadiope IV, on his social media platforms. 
He added:  “His love for Busoga saw him not return to his motherland The Netherlands but opt to build a retirement home in Budondo in Butembe County. He was true...honourable...and pure. He was lovely.  Busoga will immensely miss him and his good work. May his soul rest in eternal peace!” 

Sylvia Nakintije, wife of Ernest Nakintije, one of the many he raised from boys to men, was present when he breathed his last.
 “Father was prepared to die and he died a happy man because he knew Ernest and I were there to take care of him. Father, we shall miss you. I pray that the Lord grants you eternal rest and reward you for the things you did for Him, here on earth…,” she extols him.
After college in Kenya, Fr Picavet, a family friend, approached Sylvia and asked her to marry ‘his’ son. She met the son, they got to know each other and got married in 1996.

“We were looking forward to our silver jubilee that he would celebrate with us but the Lord has not accepted it. He brought up and educated my husband, Ernest, from the age of 14 years. Fr Picavet supported the boy child; with school fees, baptism, and he never minded whether you were Muslim or a saved Christian, he would lead, guide and provide for you. He went an extra mile for people,” Sylvia adds.

Selfless and developmental
English playwright William Shakespeare said,  things done well, and with a care, exempt themselves from fear. In the delivery of a homily at his burial in Rubaga, Jinja, last Saturday,  Fr Richard Kayaga Gonza described the late as selfless, always prepared to do the needful out of goodness and for goodness’ sake, to make the world a better place. 
A combination of the two mottos is what the Musoga would refer to as okubula omukombi n’omuloodhi. 
“We saw him while the flames were still burning; active in many fields, being guided by namely; the profession of ‘being good’, the YCS motto: see, judge and act, as well as the Scout’s motto: Be Prepared, in addition to his Catholic values,” Fr Gonza explained. 
Alphonse Musagala, the chairman of Jinja- Rubaga Parish, says they shall miss the gift from God of a loving priest in the Rev Fr Picavet. 
“He wanted us as Africans, to develop spiritually and materially. The Rev Fr Picavet built Jinja Secondary School hall, part of  the YMCA, Nkabi Church, and had shares in Nile International Hospital in Jinja.”
Musagala first met Fr Picavet in 1980 at Jinja Secondary School at an event of diocesan youth council. Later in 2007, they became neighbours in Buyala.
 
“He has been devoted to Christianity. He had so far built three churches in sub centres and was planning to build two more. As Christians and Catholics in that area, we will miss him because he loved us so much. He was a developmental priest,” Musagala adds.
Progressive and sociable
Maj Frederick Muluta  remembers Fr Picavet for bringing development to especially his home area of Buyala, Budondo where he built a health facility, a church and started self-help projects to alleviate poverty.  
“He taught people about planting trees, prevention of diseases and good farming practices. For his age, he was strong. We were weakened to hear about his demise. He drove his car and always stopped to greet people. We, residents of Buyala A, will miss him,” the military officer says.

Philanthropic and sporty
The Kyabazinga’s last meeting with the fallen priest was 2018, when he awarded him a medal of excellence on behalf of the Jinja Scouts Association for his contribution to the development of the scouts movement in Busoga Kingdom and Jinja. 
“Through his work as a priest, the Rev Fr Picavet touched and influenced many. He ran charity projects that took care of vulnerable children. He gave them a second chance at life. One of those children was late musician Moses Ssekibogo, aka, Mowzey Radio,” the cultural leader adds.

 He says the Dutch-born priest was always available for those who sought help and advice. 
“He was down to earth and fitted in all circles of life. Fr Picavet was not sophisticated. He would eat whatever there was, mingle with the poor, the disabled, the rich, the elderly, the children and he would never be bossy,” Sylvia further says of a man she calls father-in-law. 
Fr Gonza recounts encountering one of the flames of Fr Picavet in 1983, when he had joined Jinja Senior Secondary School. 

“This great, self-respecting, tall elegant, energetic smart priest-teacher and philanthropist whom the Basoga would call omulangaadhu, was the chaplain of our school, teacher of Religious Education, examination master, patron of many school clubs, including but not limited to Scouting, Red Cross and the YCS Club,” he narrates. 
He was also chaplain of the Catholic communities at Wanyange Girls’ Secondary School and Jinja Girls. He also played badminton, was a good golfer and swimmer. 

“He fought to make life better for many in the education sector. He introduced the Lillian Foundation in Jinja, which took care of persons with disabilities, especially the tricycle projects which eased the movement of persons with physical disability in The Aids Support Organisation- Jinja,” says Fr Gonza. 
Citing Mpumudde Destitutes’ Home of the elderly,  YMCA- Jinja where many young people are equipped with life-skills, the Jinja School of International Sciences, Hospice Jinja, to mention but a few; where he has served as chairperson and member on a number of committees.

Well-deserved send off
Referring to 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Fr Gonza summed up thus: “He has fought a good fight to the end, he has run the race to the finish; he has kept the faith. Now there is in store the crown of uprightness which the Lord, the upright judge will give him on that Day.” 
And Fr Gonza also quoted  John’s consolation in Revelations 14:13: “Blessed are they who die in the Lord! Blessed indeed, the Spirit says, now they can rest forever after the work since their good deeds go with them”. 

“Dear Friends, I have not come to praise Fr Picavet, I have come to mourn the loss, his demise, the extinguished flames that have been enlightening many to the right path of goodness.” 
“Yet at the same time, I invited you to celebrate a life well-lived, and deserves to be mourned. He has loved tenderly, acted justly and walked humbly with his Lord (Micah 6:8),” he concluded. 

Beneficiaries say…
Shadrack Igoye, hotelier
I got to know the Rev Fr Picavet when I had just completed school as a hotelier and sought employment. A friend recommended me to him, he got me placement at Pearl on the Nile and became my good friend early this year. I have worked with him for four years. He was good and loved people. We enjoyed living with him. We have been taking care of him but he had a breathing problem. 

Milsid Wandera, driver
Fr Picavet has been part of my life. I met him at the learning centre he set up. He supported me to learn how to drive and helped me process a driving permit. He gave me a job as his driver and  I have been by his side as he underwent treatment until God took his soul. He was also my friend. 
Godfrey Hamba,
I got to know Fr Picavet when I was a student at St Stephen High School. I reached out to him when I could not raise school fees. He offered to be my benefactor and gave me a place to stay that was closer to school. I started attending Holy Mass and he taught me about the Catholic religion. He also had a chapel at his home and later on offered me a job. Whenever my parents fell sick, he would give me money for their treatment.