KABALE – The Ordination and Installation Mass of Msgr. Bonaventure Bosco Gubazire as the new Bishop of Kabale Diocese is underway at St. Ignatius University Grounds in Kabale Municipality, marking a historic transition for the Catholic Church in the Kigezi region.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Bishop Gubazire, a member of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), takes over from the retiring Bishop Callistus Rubaramira, who has shepherded the Diocese for 23 years and has been serving as Apostolic Administrator since his resignation was accepted by Pope Leo XIV on July 15, 2026.
As thousands gathered for the ceremony, tributes poured in for Bishop Rubaramira’s more than two decades of leadership. The Apostolic Nunciature expressed “gratitude to Rt. Rev. Callistus Rubaramira for his generous and dedicated service during these twenty-three years as the Bishop of Kabale (2003–2026)”.
Bishop Rubaramira’s tenure was marked by transformative initiatives that reshaped the Diocese’s spiritual and socio-economic landscape.
His establishment of the Bishop’s Annual Appeal Fund (BAAF) galvanized Catholics to become active partners in building their own Church, supporting income-generating projects and strengthening institutions that continue to serve communities.
The Diocese credits his leadership with the establishment of Radio Maria, Centenary Bank branches in Kabale, Kisoro and Rukungiri, and St. Ignatius University Kabale.
His emphasis on Small Christian Communities transformed parish life, creating neighbourhood fellowships that became centres of prayer, mutual support, and economic empowerment.
Religious leaders from across the region, including Kisoro District Khadi Sheikh Ali Mwesigye and Bishop Godfrey Mbitse of Muhabura Diocese, commended his promotion of peaceful coexistence and interfaith cooperation.
Bishop-elect Gubazire was among the first priests ordained by Bishop Rubaramira in 2003, shortly after his episcopal consecration. The shepherd who nurtured a generation of priests now hands the crozier to one of his own sons in the priesthood.
Born on March 3, 1974, in Kitumba, Kabale Diocese, Bishop Gubazire’s journey to the episcopate has been marked by extensive pastoral and academic formation across four continents.
He attended St. Paul’s Minor Seminary Rushoroza, studied philosophy in Jinja, and earned a theology degree from the Institut Catholique de Toulouse, France.
Ordained a priest on August 10, 2003, he served as parish vicar in Murraça, Mozambique (2003–2007), before undertaking further studies in Ireland and earning a doctorate in philosophy from the University of San Carlos in Cebu, Philippines (2020).
His most recent assignment was as Rector of St. Martin of Tours Formation House in Ejisu, Ghana, where he was serving when Pope Leo XIV appointed him Bishop of Kabale on July 15, 2026.
The ceremony has drawn a diverse assembly of dignitaries, including Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa; Ministers David Bahati, Gen. Jim Muhwezi Katugugu, and Henry Musasizi; and Members of Parliament Dr. Sylvia Alineitwe, Kiconco Patrick, and Enid Origumisiriza. President Yoweri Museveni is expected as chief guest.
The ceremony marks the beginning of a new chapter for Kabale Diocese, which serves Catholics across Kabale, Rubanda, Kisoro, Rukiga, Kanungu, and Rukungiri districts. Bishop Gubazire becomes the fifth Bishop of the Diocese since its establishment in 1966.
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