Africa-Press – Uganda. Four bishops in Kampala Archdiocese are among the possible successors.
The remains of Kampala Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga were yesterday interred in a crypt inside Rubaga Cathedral, closing his chapter on earth and opening a new one about his succession.
The Vatican named Bishop Paul Ssemogerere of Kasana-Luweero as the apostolic administrator of Kampala Archdiocese.
Besides his substantive episcopal appointment, Bishop Ssemogerere will exercise ecclesiastical authority and administrative oversight over the archdiocese.
In both Catholic and Anglican churches, a “sede vacante” means that the particular diocesan bishop has either died, retired, resigned, been transferred or lost his office, and a successor has not yet been named.
Multiple sources say if there is a coadjutor, then this period does not arise, then a coadjutor bishop or archbishop promptly takes over as a successor.
In the case of Kampala Archdiocese, the Vicar General, Msgr Charles Kasibante, briefly superintended the archdiocese before the Pope named Bishop Ssemogerere.
Whereas Bishop Ssemogerere’s appointment temporarily fills the gap, it leaves open the search for a substantive archbishop — a process, which by Canon law, could take eight months or longer.
The Catholic Church in Uganda is administered through four ecclesiastical archdioceses or Metropolitan See; namely, Tororo, Gulu, Mbarara and Kampala.
The archbishops, including late Lwanga, served as bishops or ordinary of a diocese before their elevation following the creation of three new metropolitan archdioceses to Kampala Archdiocese.
Senior Catholic officials said it is more likely that one of the bishops in the dioceses under Kampala could succeed Lwanga.
However, the Pope is free to appoint another or another senior cleric.
There are four other bishops serving in Kampala, including Serverus Jjumba of Masaka, Ssemogerere of Kasana-Luweero, Joseph Antony Zziwa of Kiyinda-Mityana and Christopher Kakooza of Lugazi.
Another source said each of the quartet meets the eligibility criteria for elevation to an archbishop, and could likely be Lwanga successor, but Msgr Kasibante and Kampala Archdiocesan Chancellor Pius Male Ssentumbwe, should not be ruled out.
However, the Vatican is at liberty to choose the next archbishop from elsewhere, the official said.
Bishop Serverus Jjumba:
He was born in Masaka on August 2, 1962. He went to St Augustine’s Primary School, Bulando and St Paul’s Primary School, Kitovu. In 1978, he joined the Holy Family Minor Seminary in Bukalasa for his secondary education. He proceeded to St Thomas Aquinas National Major Seminary, Katigondo for his philosophical studies in 1984. Three years later, he enrolled at St Mary’s National Seminary, Ggaba for his theological studies. He was ordained a priest on June 20, 1992.
As a priest, he has served in a number of roles, including assistant at Mpambire Parish (September 1992-January 1993), Formator and Bursar at Holy Family Bukalasa Minor Seminary (1993-2000) and Vicar General of Masaka Diocese from 2014 to the date of his appointment as Bishop of Masaka Diocese on April 16, 2019.
Bishop Christopher Kakooza:
He was born at Nsambya hospital on November 15, 1952. He was ordained a priest on June 3, 1983 at St Mbaaga’s Seminary Ggaba by the late Emmanuel Cardinal Nsubuga. He was also appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Kampala Archdiocese on January 30, 1999 and consecrated on April 17, 1999 at Rubaga. He was appointed as the Bishop of Lugazi Diocese on November 4, 2014 and installed on January 3, 2015.
Bishop Joseph Antony Zziwa:
He was born on February 16, 1956 at Kasambya Village, Mubende Parish in Kiyinda-Mityana Diocese. He was ordained a priest on November 16, 1980. He was appointed co-adjutor Bishop of Kiyinda-Mityana on December 18, 2001, and consecrated on March 16, 2002. He was appointed Bishop of Kiyinda-Mityana on October 23, 2004, and enthroned on November 21, 2004.
During their annual plenary of 2018, members of the Uganda Episcopal Conference elected Bishop Zziwa as chairman for the next four years.
Bishop Paul Ssemogerere:
He was yesterday appointed by Pope Francis as the Apostolic Administrator of Kampala Archdiocese. Bishop Ssemogerere was born on June 30, 1956 at Kisubi in the Kampala.
He was ordained a priest on June 3, 1983. He was appointed the second Bishop of Kasana–Luweero on June 21, 2008, ordained a bishop and installed on August 23, 2008 at Kasana-Luweero by late Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga.
