Christians in Kabale Diocese have been urged to work closely with their newly installed Bishop, Rt. Rev. Bonaventure Bosco Gubazire, to address social challenges affecting families and communities.
The appeal was made on Sunday, October 4, 2026, by Rev. Fr. Lucas Kiiza, Parish Priest of Nyamwegabira Parish in Kanungu District, during a Thanksgiving Mass for Bishop Gubazire at Our Lady of Good Shepherd Rushoroza Cathedral.
Fr. Kiiza said Bishop Gubazire had been entrusted with the spiritual responsibility of shepherding the Diocese and called on the faithful to offer him the respect, prayers and support necessary for his ministry.
“Let us work together with the new Bishop,” Fr. Kiiza urged the congregation, encouraging Christians to pray for Bishop Gubazire as he begins his episcopal ministry. He also thanked the Bishop’s family and the Missionaries of Africa for their contribution to his vocation and ministry.
The priest challenged the new Bishop to respond to pressing social and economic concerns affecting families, including indebtedness, alcoholism, domestic conflicts and uncertainty among young people and adults.
He observed that alcohol abuse was contributing to family problems, with some parents reportedly engaging in conflicts in the presence of their children. He called on the Church to offer hope, guidance and healing to families facing such difficulties.
Reflecting on Matthew 5:14–16, where Jesus describes his disciples as the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world,” Fr. Kiiza encouraged Christians to let their light shine through their actions and witness to Christ in society.
He reminded Christians and community leaders of their responsibility to resist moral corruption and contribute to addressing challenges affecting their communities.
“Good remains the good even when nobody is doing it, and evil is evil even when everybody is doing it,” he said, stressing the importance of integrity, consistency and service rooted in love.
Fr. Kiiza also called for greater unity among Christians, warning that hatred among believers could weaken relationships within the Church and the wider community. He reminded the faithful of Christ’s commandment to love God with all their hearts and their neighbours as themselves, urging them to practise mercy, patience, truth and mutual understanding.
He prayed for God’s guidance as the Diocese, families and the wider community strive to strengthen love and unity.
Emeritus Bishop pledges support to successor.
Emeritus Bishop Callist Rubaramira called on Christians to welcome and support Bishop Gubazire as he begins his ministry as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Kabale.
Bishop Rubaramira, who led the Diocese from 2003 until his retirement in July 2026, said he remained a diocesan priest and was available to continue serving the Church.
“I want you to know that I am a Diocesan Priest of this Kabale Diocese, fully incardinated in Kabale Diocese,” he said, affirming his obedience and allegiance to the new Bishop.
He thanked the clergy, religious and lay faithful for participating in the episcopal celebrations and encouraged them to remain close to Bishop Gubazire and support him in carrying out his pastoral responsibilities.
Bishop Rubaramira ordained and installed Bishop Gubazire on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the grounds of St. Ignatius University Kabale (IGUKA), marking the beginning of a new chapter in the leadership of the Diocese.
Politicians call for forgiveness and cooperation.
Uganda’s Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, urged Christians to forgive those who had wronged them rather than harbour resentment.
He said forgiveness enables people to concentrate on activities that promote personal growth and community development. He also called on religious leaders to welcome everyone without discrimination, reminding the faithful that all people are children of one God.
Tayebwa further urged Christians and the government to work together to address poverty and malnutrition, which he identified as challenges affecting communities in the Kigezi region.
He called for stronger cooperation between the Church and government to improve access to health services and enhance people’s living conditions.
The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Ariganyira Musasizi, congratulated Bishop Gubazire on his appointment and thanked Emeritus Bishop Rubaramira for his service to the Diocese.
Musasizi encouraged Christians to engage in productive activities that generate income and contribute to economic development. He also pledged his support to Bishop Gubazire in his new ministry.
Missionaries and Local Community reaffirm support
On behalf of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), Rev. Fr. Hulecki Pawel, vice Superior General congratulated Bishop Gubazire and described his new responsibility as both a spiritual and missionary calling.
He encouraged him to embrace his ministry with joy and faith, noting that becoming a Bishop also entails being a missionary to the people entrusted to his care. He assured him of the continued support from the congregation as he begins his service in the Diocese of Kabale.
The Chairman of the Rushoroza Cathedral Parish Council, Mr. Remigio Byamukama, thanked God for the new Bishop and pledged cooperation between the faithful and the diocesan leadership.
Byamukama also commended Emeritus Bishop Rubaramira for his 23 years of episcopal ministry and thanked the priests, religious, lay faithful and the Gubazire family for their contributions to the growth and development of the Diocese.
Bishop Gubazire calls for collective responsibility
In his remarks, Bishop Gubazire expressed gratitude to God for calling him to succeed the Apostles and entrusting him with the responsibility of shepherding the faithful of the Diocese of Kabale.
Acknowledging the demands of his new office, he appealed to Christians to pray for him as he begins his episcopal and missionary ministry.
He thanked Emeritus Bishop Rubaramira, who ordained him to the episcopate on October 3 and had also ordained him to the priesthood in 2003. He described the retired Bishop as an example of a committed missionary and prayed for God’s continued protection and blessings upon him.
Bishop Gubazire also expressed appreciation to the clergy, religious, catechists, leaders of Small Christian Communities, government officials, business community and lay faithful for their support. He pledged to work with them to strengthen the Church and promote development in the community.
This work that I have been entrusted with is not for one person. Therefore, let us work together to accomplish the work of God, take his message to all the people and develop our country – Bishop Bonaventure Bosco Gubazire.
He further thanked his parents for raising him and continually praying for him, as well as the Missionaries of Africa, priests and Christians who had supported his vocation and welcomed him into his new responsibility.
The Bishop called on Christians, religious leaders, government officials and members of the business community to work together in strengthening the Church and advancing social and economic development.
Hundreds attend Thanksgiving Mass
The Thanksgiving Mass attracted hundreds of Christians, priests, religious, family members, relatives, business people and government officials from across the Diocese of Kabale and beyond.
Among those who attended were Deputy Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa; Finance Minister Hon. Henry Ariganyira Musasizi; Rukungiri District Woman Member of Parliament Hon. Mary Paula Turyahikayo; National Resistance Movement (NRM) National Vice Treasurer Hon. Jacqueline Kyatuheire; Kabale District Woman Member of Parliament Hon. Enid Origumisiriza; and Mr. Tumukwasiibwe Nicodemus Odo, Chairman of the Laity for the Diocese of Kabale, among other dignitaries.
The celebration marked a moment of thanksgiving and prayer as the Diocese welcomed its new shepherd and looked ahead to a ministry rooted in faith, unity, service and cooperation.
About Bishop Gubazire
Bishop Bonaventure Bosco Gubazire was born on March 3, 1974, in Kitumba, Kabale District. He is a member of the Missionaries of Africa and was ordained a priest on August 10, 2003.
Throughout his missionary ministry, he has served in several countries, including France, Mozambique, Malawi, the Philippines and Ghana. Before his appointment as Bishop of Kabale, he served as rector of St. Martin of Tours Formation House in Ejisu, Ghana.
He obtained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Philosophy from the University of San Carlos in Cebu, Philippines, in 2020.
Bishop Gubazire is the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Kabale, which was established in 1966. His episcopal ministry begins with a call to work collaboratively with the clergy, religious, lay faithful and wider community in proclaiming the Gospel and responding to the spiritual and social needs of the people.