By John Ogulei
KAMPALA
His Holiness, Pope Francis has appointed Msgnr Rt. Rev. Paul Ssemogerere to care take Kampala archdiocese as an apostolic administrator.
Ssemogerere was Kampala Archdiocese Archbishop His Grace Rt. Rev. Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, former successor at Kasana Luwero Diocese.
In the Pope’s statement that was read to mourners who had gathered at Rubaga Cathedral for the final sendoff of Archbishop Lwanga, the Papal Nuncio to Uganda, His Excellence Archbishop Luigi Bianco said that, the Holly father has appointed His Lordship Paul Ssemogerere of Kasanda Luwero as an apostolic administrator for Kampala Archdiocese that became vacant on the 3rd April 2021 after the demise of Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga.
“I have the honor to appoint His Lordship Msgnr Rt. Rev. Paul Ssemogerere of Kansana Luwero Diocese as Apostolic Administrator of Kampala Archdiocese.” Pope’s Letter read in part.
An Apostolic administration in the Catholic Church is administrated by a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for a specific area, either the area is not yet a diocese, after an episcopal death, transfer or resignation) or, in very rare cases, has an incapacitated bishop.
Apostolic administrators of stable administrations are equivalent in canon law with Archdiocesan Archbishop, diocesan bishops, meaning they have essentially the same authority as an Archdiocesan Archbishop or a diocesan bishop.
Bishop Ssemogerere was appointed bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kasana-Luweero, on 4 June 2008 to succeed Lt. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga.
He was later consecrated as bishop on 23 August 2008 at Kasana-Luweero by the Late Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, Archbishop of Kampala, assisted by Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, Cardinal-Priest of Sant’Ugo, and Cardinal Emeritus of Kampala and Archbishop Paul Tschang In-Nam, Titular Archbishop of Amantia and Papal Nuncio to Uganda at that time.
