A Life That Still Speaks: How Sr. Dr. Miriam Duggan’s Legacy Shaped Our Lives, Marriage, and Mission

Some people touch our lives directly; others influence us through the ripples of their work. Sr. Dr. Miriam Duggan is one of those remarkable women whose influence transcended generations. Though we never met her personally, her vision helped form who we are; as individuals, as a couple, and as founders of The Couple Binders.

Born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1936, Sr. Miriam joined the Franciscan Missionary Sisters for Africa (FMSA) in 1956. A trained obstetrician and gynaecologist, she served for over 30 years at St. Francis Hospital Nsambya in Kampala, where she headed the maternity unit. But her calling stretched far beyond the hospital wards. Seeing the rising challenges of HIV/AIDS and moral decline among youth, she began initiatives that would shape countless lives, including ours.

She passed on 9 August 2025, leaving behind a living legacy of faith, formation, and service.

Among Sr. Miriam’s many transformative works, two stand out profoundly in our lives: Youth Alive Uganda and Emmaus Centre Katikkamu.

Youth Alive Uganda: Raising a Generation with Purpose

Founded in 1993 under Sr. Miriam’s leadership, Youth Alive became a movement of behaviour change, training young people in self-awareness, responsible decision-making, abstinence, and respect for life.

At 15 years, Lucy attended her first Behaviour Change Programme (BCP) hosted at Emmaus Centre Katikkamu. There, she learned to dream consciously, choose wisely, and live responsibly. It was there that she made two life-defining commitments: to abstain from sex until marriage and to never get drunk. These choices made at such a young age were a guide through adolescence and youthful ages.

At the same time, Ronald was an active member of the Youth Alive Club at his school. Through songs, reflections, and interactive sessions, he learned the same values of integrity, respect, and self-control. He may not have known it then, but God was preparing him just as He was preparing me, for a future of purposeful love.

Two young people, moulded by the same principles, walking separate paths, would one day meet and build a marriage anchored in the very values Sr. Miriam instilled.

The Emmaus Centre Katikkamu holds a special place in our hearts. Supported by Sr. Miriam Duggan’s vision, Emmaus was founded as a formation and renewal centre; a sacred space for youth, couples, and families to encounter God, reflect on life, and rediscover purpose.

It was at Emmaus that Lucy’s first transformation began during that Youth Alive programme. But it didn’t stop there. Over the years, Emmaus has remained a wellspring of life for us and our family. We have attended numerous life-changing sessions there: Marriage Preparatory Courses, Marriage Renewal Retreats, Life in the Spirit Seminars, and Leadership Trainings.

Each experience at Emmaus deepened our faith, strengthened our bond, and reminded us that true growth happens when the spirit is nourished.

We often tell couples we mentor: “If you ever need a place to pause, reflect, and rekindle your faith and love, go to Emmaus.”
It’s a home that continues to shape marriages, heal hearts, and restore families across Uganda.

We’re grateful to see how the centre still stands today, welcoming young people, couples, and communities into the same atmosphere of formation that once shaped us. Emmaus isn’t just a building; it’s a beacon of grace, a living monument to Sr. Miriam Duggan’s enduring impact.

Everything we do today as The Couple Binders carries traces of Sr. Miriam’s formation. The values that guided her: holistic transformation, responsible choices, and love lived in action are the same values that guide our ministry to couples.

Through our activities which include Couple Coaching Sessions, Premarital Guidance, Marriage Enrichment Retreats, Utilisation of social media platforms and the Thrive Oh Wife 19 community, we help couples not only build affection but build foundations.

What Sr. Miriam began through Youth Alive and Emmaus - nurturing self-awareness and faith, we now extend to marriages and families: helping them heal, grow, and thrive.

Her work transformed youth into responsible adults; ours seeks to transform couples into thriving partners and families that reflect God’s love.

Her influence can be traced in how we live and love:

Sr. Miriam’s life reminds us that one person’s obedience to God can ripple across generations. We are part of that ripple. Her life challenges us, and perhaps you too, to ask:

Her life was a mirror of Christ’s love in action. She healed bodies, shaped minds, and formed hearts. And though she may never have known us personally, she helped shape the marriage we live and the work we do.

To the young: choose wisely now. Your values today will become the pillars of your future relationships.
To the married: keep learning, keep growing, and keep returning to the wells that formed you. Find spaces like Emmaus Centre Katikkamu or communities like The Couple Binders, that keep your spirit refreshed and your love renewed.

As Youth Alive Uganda prepares to host a Memorial and Thanksgiving Service on 5 November 2025 at Makerere University, we celebrate not only Sr. Miriam Duggan’s memory but her living influence. Her work lives on; in the hospitals she served, the youth she inspired, the families she strengthened, and the marriages like ours that embody her values.

May her soul rest in eternal peace.
Her life reminds us that service, love, and faith never die. They multiply.

With heartfelt gratitude,
Lucy Peace Nantume & Ronald Kazibwe