Retired Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa is Dead

The Masaka Catholic Diocesan retired Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa has passed on. 

Reverend Father Doctor Edward Ssekabanja, the Masaka Diocese Chancellor, confirmed Kaggwa’s death which occurred on Wednesday evening. Ssekabanja added that the ‘beloved bishop’ suffered a long illness.

“We are saddened to announce that our beloved bishop emeritus has returned to the lord. And as a diocese, we ask the faithful to keep us in prayers so that the Lord sees us through this trying moment,” Rev. Fr. Ssekabanja said in a brief statement.

The prelate had for some time been under intensive care management at Malago National Referral Hospital in Kampala where he was referred mid-last month. Although the diocese is not opening up on the illness the bishop suffered from, sources indicate he succumbed to COVID-19.

Before his administration, the seating ordinary of the same diocese Rt Rev Severus Jjumba also spent over a fortnight at the national referral hospital where he was also batting COVID-19. Jjumba recovered but a few days later, the deceased was also rushed to the same facility.

During one of his last public appearances in June last year, the man of God who was celebrating his episcopate silver jubilee asked both the clergy and laity to continue praying for him.

Bishop Kaggwa, the third ordinary of Masaka  retired in April 2019 after clocking the mandatory 75 years as the catholic canon law requires. He had served 23 years in the position formerly held by two famous men; Archbishop Joseph Kiwanuka and Bishop Adrian Kivumbi Dungu.

Upon retirement, the pontiff named him apostolic administrator of the see awaiting the installation of the new bishop- Severus  Jjumba, who had served as his vicar general for years. He accordingly fully handled over the diocese in 2019.  

Bishop Kaggwa’s biography  

He  was born on March 22, 1943, to the late Matia Ssentamu and Ferista Nazziwa in Bulenga, Busiro, Wakiso district. He is the second, born to a family of 14 siblings; seven girls and seven boys. He went to Ssumbwe infant school and Rubaga boys’ primary school before he was enrolled in Kisubi Seminary in 1958.

In 1964, he joined Katigondo major seminary where he spent one and half years before Archbishop Kiwanuka sent him to Urban University, Rome for further studies in philosophy and theology. In 1966 he acquired a master's degree in both studies.

Bishop Kaggwa became a deacon in 1970 while in Rome and in august of the same year he came returned to Uganda and was allocated to Busuubi parish for pastoral work and was ordained a priest on December 12, 1971, and was sent to serve in Rubaga parish.  

In 1976, He began Gaba Major Seminary as its first rector and led it for eight years together with Fr. Exepdito Ssempijja, Dr David Kyeyune among others and in 1983 he was sent To St Mary Mary’s College Kisubi to teach Latin.  

In 1985, he went back to Rome to learn civil and canon law where he obtained a Master’s Degree in the studies. While there he was made vice-rector of one of the papal colleges and by 1995 he had obtained a PhD in civil and canon law.  

Pope John Paul II chose him on 24 June 1995 to be a coadjutor bishop to Bishop Adrian Kivumbi Ddungu who was also his principal concreter on the event which took place in Kitovu cathedral church. He served with bishop Ddungu up to 1998.  

When Bishop Ddungu retired on January 10, the Pope named Kaggwa as the new bishop to the diocese of Masaka and was consecrated on the cathedral of bishop stretcher at Villa Maria.  

Besides being the Bishop of the Masaka diocese he has also served as the committee chairperson of priestly formation and institutes of consecrated life on the Episcopal Conference of Uganda from 1995.