Joseph Kiwánuka

Joseph Kiwánuka (born June 25, 1899 in Nakirebe ; † February 22, 1966 ) was Vicar Apostolic or Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Masaka from 1939 to 1960 and Archbishop of Rubaga from 1960 to 1966 . This made him the first black African bishop of the Latin rite in the 20th century.

Kiwánuka was born to Christian parents and joined the “ White Fathers ” (“Society of Missionaries of Africa”) after attending a Catholic mission school in 1923 . He was ordained a priest on May 26, 1929 and then sent by the order to Rome, where he studied canon law at the Angelicum and received his doctorate with a thesis on marriage law. After his return to Uganda in 1933, he worked as a pastor in Bikira and Bujuni.

In 1939 Pope Pius XII appointed him . as Vicar Apostolic of Masaka and Titular Bishop of Thibica . The episcopal ordination took place on October 29, 1939 in St. Peter's Basilica by Pope Pius XII. instead of. After Henrique Kinu a Mvemba , a black African Catholic, was ordained bishop in 1518, there were no more local residents until Kiwánuka who had been appointed bishop in a black African mission country. In 1953 the Apostolic Vicariate was elevated to a diocese and Kiwánuka was appointed the first bishop of Masaka. In 1960 Pope John XXIII raised him . to the Archbishop of Rubaga. Kiwánuka took part in the four sessions of the Second Vatican Council and played a major role in the canonization of the martyrs of Uganda by Pope Paul VI. Kiwánuka died on February 22, 1966.

Web links

• Entry on catholic-hierarchy.org (English)