By Andrew Irumba
Masaka: Born March 23, 1943, Bishop Emeritus of Masaka Diocese John Baptist Kaggwa has succumbed to covid-19 at the age of 77.
According to family sources, he passed on at about 7:10 pm today (Wednesday), January 20, 2021, from Mulago National Referral hospital.
The 77-year-old had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to difficulty in breathing.
Fr Ronald Mayanja, the Masaka Diocesan spokesperson said the Church will announce funeral arrangements in the due course of time.
More About Bishop Kagwa
John Baptist Kaggwa is a Ugandan Roman Catholic prelate who was Bishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Masaka, where he served as the Ordinary from 10 January 1998 until his retirement on 16 April 2019. From 19 December 1994 until 10 January 1998, Bishop Kaggwa served as Coadjutor Bishop of Masaka, Uganda.
Background & Education
He was born on 23 March 1943 at Bulenga, Busiro County, Wakiso District. He attended Lubaga Boys Primary School from 1952 until he completed Primary 6 in 1957. He then joined Kisubi Minor Seminary in 1958. While at Kisubi, he studied Latin. Later he studied at Katigondo Major Seminary, where he studied Philosophy.
In 1965, Archbishop Joseph Kiwanuka sent him to study at Pontifical Urban University, in Rome, on scholarship. He was ordained deacon in May 1970 in Rome. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Canon Law and Secular Law, awarded by Pontifical Urban University.
Priesthood
He was ordained a priest on 12 December 1971 in Rome, at the age of 28. Following his doctoral studies, he was appointed vice-rector of the Pontifical College of St Paul, in Rome, for five years. He returned to Uganda in the 1980s and was appointed the first rector of St. Mbaaga Seminary at Ggaba.
On 19 December 1994, he was appointed the coadjutor Bishop of Masaka. He was consecrated bishop on 24 June 1995 by his predecessor, Bishop Adrian Kivumbi Ddungu. He succeeded as Bishop of Masaka, Uganda on 10 January 1998.
On 6 July 2019, Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa was the Principal Consecrator of his replacement, Bishop Severus Jjumba as the Ordinary of Masaka Diocese. Bishop Kaggwa then retired as bishop but continued to work in the diocese as directed by Bishop Jjumba till today when God called him to enjoy the fruits of his services. May His Soul RIP!
