Kiwanuka, Joseph Nakabaale (1899- 1966)
Bishop Kiwanuka was the
first native African to be ordained a Catholic bishop in modern times. He was
born at Mawokota County, Uganda, the child of Catholic parents, Victoro Katumba
Munduekanika and Felicitas Nankya Ssabawebwa Namukasa. Joseph was baptized at
Rubaga, Kampala, on June 25, 1899. He received his primary education at Mitala
Maria from 1910 to 1914, when he entered Bukalasa junior seminary. After
studying philosophy and theology at Katigondo major seminary, he was ordained
priest at Villa Maria on May 26, 1929. In his fourth year at Katigondo,
Kiwanuka felt the call to join the Society of Missionaries of Africa. Bishop
Henri Streicher, his ordinary, opposed the move. However, Fr. Voillard, the
Superior General of the society, who visited the seminary in 1928, agreed to
admit Kiwanuka after ordination to the priesthood.
Shortly after his ordination, Kiwanuka received his call to the novitiate of
the Missionaries of Africa on July 15, 1929. However, Bishop Streicher again
intervened, sending the young priest to Rome for further studies. Kiwanuka
lodged at the house of the Missionaries of Africa on via Trenta Aprile and
attended the Pontifical Angelicum University, where he took a licentiate and
doctorate in Canon Law. The subject of his doctoral dissertation, which he
defended in 1932, was the marriage contract. After visiting France and England,
Kiwanuka arrived in Algiers to make his novitiate with the Missionaries of
Africa on October 8, 1932. He completed his novitiate on October 12, 1933 and,
after his return to Uganda, pronounced the missionary oath at Entebbe on
October 12, 1934. Meanwhile, Bishop Streicher's diocese had been divided into
the vicariates of Masaka and Rubaga, on his retirement in 1933.
After pastoral appointments at Bikira and Bujuni, Kiwanuka came to Katigondo
seminary, where he joined the teaching staff. On June 1, 1939 he received news
of his appointment as Vicar Apostolic of Masaka. Joseph Kiwanuka was
consecrated bishop in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, by Pope Pius XII on October
29, 1939; Kiwanuka came back to his diocese soon after the start of World War
II. In August 1940, the new bishop moved his diocesan headquarters from Villa
Maria to Kitovu near Masaka town in 1947.
In January 1961 Joseph Kiwanuka was appointed Archbishop of Rubaga, on the
retirement of Archbishop Joseph Cabana, and in October of the following year
played a prominent role in the celebrations accompanying the attainment of
political independence in Uganda. Immediately afterwards, Kiwanuka came to Rome
to attend the sessions of the Second Vatican Council 1962 to 1965. During the
third session of the Council, Bishop Kiwanuka assisted Pope Paul VI at the
canonization of the twenty-two Catholic Martyrs of Uganda on October 18, 1964.
In 1965 Obote's government in Uganda underwent a political crisis, and Kiwanuka
responded by publishing an inspiring pastoral letter on political leadership
and democratic maturity. This was Kiwanuka final legacy, for he died suddenly
on February 22, 1966, the day before Milton Obote’s assumed unconstitutional
powers. He is buried in Rubaga Cathedral. The leadership of Archbishop Kiwanuka
opened the door to the full development of the Catholic Church in Africa, which
is now entirely in African hands.
Martin Kibira [Kiwanuka
team member]