Diocese of Fort Portal
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Portal is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Uganda. It is a suffragan diocese of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mbarara.
History
The Catholic Diocese of Fort Portal formerly belonging to Rwenzori Vicariate was erected on 2 July 1961, with Vincent Joseph McCauley† CSC, as its first bishop. The Diocese was detached from Mbarara Diocese which up to 1953 was Rwenzori Vicariate. He was succeeded in 1972 by Serapio Bwemi Magambo† who served the Diocese until 1991, when Paul Lokiru Kalanda† took over as the third Bishop of the Diocese. His successor, the current bishop, Robert Muhiirwa, was ordained and installed on 15 June 2003.The diocese later became the parent diocese for the Diocese of Kasese, which was erected on 1 April 1989 by Pope John Paul II.
Territory
The Diocese covers the civic districts of Kabarole, Bundibugyo, Kamwenge, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa, Ntoroko, Bunyangabu and Kitagwenda. The diocese covers an area of 13,553 square kilometers. The Diocese comprises 29 Parishes divided in three deaneries namely: Virika, Kamwenge and Katoosa. More recent figures indicate 33 parishes, 1 mission within the diocese. Fort Portal is a suffrugan Diocese within the Archdiocese of Mbarara, placing it under the metropolitan authority of the Archbishop of Mbarara.Leadership
The current bishop of Fort Portal is Robert Muhiirwa, who was appointed Bishop of Fort Portal Diocese on 18 March 2003 and was ordained and installed as Bishop on 15 June 2003. During the Annual Plenary of 2018, members of the Uganda Episcopal Conference elected Bishop Muhiirwa as Vice Chairman for a four-year term.This is a list of Bishops of Fort Portal
Auxiliary Bishops
- Joseph Mugenyi Sabiiti
- Serapio Bwemi Magambo, appointed Bishop here