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Archbishop Lwanga’s rise to the top
Deceased Kampala Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- When he first arrived at Kasana-Luweero, Dr Lwanga met with obstacles and major challenges, especially those associated with war-torn areas.
On December 16, 1996, as Kampala Archdiocese priests numbering about 150 were having a picnic and enjoying the cool breeze of Lake Victoria at Nabinoonya Beach, Kisubi, then Archbishop of Kampala Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala made a very important announcement.
He revealed that Pope John Paul II had decided to reduce the size of the vast Kampala Archdiocese, carving out two new dioceses of Lugazi and Kasana-Luweero.
The pope had also appointed auxiliary Bishop Mathias Ssekamaanya to head the new diocese of Lugazi, while the cardinal’s private secretary, Msgr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, had been elevated to a bishop and chosen to take over at Kasana-Luweero.
Later that afternoon, all roads led to Lubaga Cathedral for a thanksgiving service and on March 1, 1997, Msgr Lwanga was consecrated bishop of Kasana Luweero by Cardinal Wamala.
During the consecration, Cardinal Wamala remarked that the birth of the new diocese was a major step in the many years of evangelisation of the region, which he said had started with the founding of Nandere Mission in 1889 by the Missionaries of Africa.
The cardinal wished the new bishop a successful ministry, reminding him of what the Lord once said to Joshua- “Be strong and of good courage: I will be with you.” (Dent 31:23)
But how did he feel about receiving the news of his elevation and posting to Kasana-Luweero? Like any human being, he at first could not stop panicking.
In an interview he gave shortly after, Dr Lwanga told the First Ugandan chancellor of Kampala Archdiocese, Msgr Charles Kimbowa: “ I was at first very scared. I had never imagined being appointed a bishop. I was also scared of the huge task such appointment requires.”
or the people of Kasana-Luweero, breaking away from Kampala Archdiocese and getting a new diocese was such great news and reason for rejoicing.
Besides, the newly appointed bishop was no stranger to them, having once been private secretary to late Emmanuel Cardinal Nsubuga and later to his successor Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala.
When he first arrived at Kasana-Luweero, Dr Lwanga met with obstacles and major challenges, especially those associated with war-torn areas – poverty, low school attendance and ill-equipped health centres.
A vast part of the new diocese was part of the infamous Luweero Triangle, the war zone for both National Resistance Army (NRA) and government forces.
As if this was not enough, the newly-created diocese appeared bigger in size than what remained of the mother Kampala Archdiocese.
To his surprise, the diocese had only 25 priests and more than 20 nuns.
Many schools in the new diocese were in a sorry state, while the few health centres left a lot to be desired.
