Diocese of Kasese
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kasese is a suffragan diocese of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mbarara in Uganda. Located in the city of Kasese, the diocese serves the Catholic faithful in the Kasese District and covers an area of, making it the smallest diocese in the Mbarara Ecclesiastical Province.
History
The Diocese of Kasese was established on 6 March 1989 by Pope John Paul II, carved out from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Portal. At the time of its establishment, the region had been served by priests from the Fort Portal diocese, but the geographical challenges and growing population necessitated the creation of a separate ecclesiastical jurisdiction.Territory
The diocese covers 3,205 square kilometers and serves the administrative district of Kasese. The proportion of Catholics in the diocese is estimated at approximately 48% of the total population, making it one of the dioceses with the highest Catholic concentration in Uganda.The diocesan headquarters are located in Kasese, with the bishop's residence and chancery at P.O. Box 75, Kasese, Uganda. The diocese operates under the Latin Rite.
The diocese is part of the Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Mbarara, which comprises the archdiocese of Mbarara and several suffragan dioceses in western Uganda.
Bishops of Kasese
The diocese has been led by two bishops since its establishment:- Egidio Nkaijanabwo - First Bishop, served as the founding ordinary of the diocese for 25 years
- Acquirino Francis Kibira Araali - Current Bishop, appointed on 15 April 2014 to succeed Bishop Nkaijanabwo