St. Mary’s Lake View Parish Lwampanga Inaugurated

Sunday, September 13, 2026

By BERNARD BAKALU

Nakasongola

St. Mary’s Lake View Parish Lwampanga in Nakasongola Deanery, Kasana-Luweero Diocese, has been inaugurated, marking another milestone in the Diocese’s efforts to strengthen its pastoral presence and bring the Church closer to the People of God.

The inauguration took place on Saturday, September 12, 2026, during a ceremony presided over by the Bishop of Kasana-Luweero Diocese, Rt. Rev. Lawrence Mukasa.

The celebrations began with the planting of commemorative trees, after which the Vicar General of the Diocese, Msgr. Vincent De Paul Mukiibi, presided over the commissioning of the newly constructed priests’ residence.

The construction of the priests’ residence received significant financial support from BALUDIDA (Bannakasana-Luweero in Diaspora), whose members made substantial contributions towards the development of the new parish.

Parish formally inaugurated

The inauguration ceremony continued at the beginning of Holy Mass, with Bishop Mukasa as the principal celebrant.

Before the Liturgy of the Word, the Diocesan Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Emmanuel Ssekyanzi Lyevuze, read the official decree formally establishing St. Mary’s Lake View Lwampanga as a parish.

In presenting the decree, Fr. Ssekyanzi Lyevuze referred to relevant provisions of the Code of Canon Law, including Canon 515, which provides for the establishment of parishes, and Canon 518, concerning the territorial basis of parishes.

He said the decree establishing the parish was dated August 25, 2026.

The Chancellor also announced that Rev. Fr. Edward Mulindwa had been appointed to serve as the pioneer Parish Priest of the newly established parish.

Fr. Mulindwa installed as pioneer Parish Priest

Msgr. Mukiibi subsequently declared that Fr. Mulindwa was suitable and duly qualified to undertake the office of Parish Priest.

The new Parish Priest was then presented by Fr. Dr. Lawrence Kizito Kimbowa and Fr. John Mary Mpoza to the Catholic faithful gathered for the celebration, as he was introduced to the various sections of the congregation.

Fr. Mulindwa subsequently professed the required oath of office, pledging to faithfully discharge the responsibilities entrusted to him as Parish Priest.

In the course of the installation rite, he was vested with the stole, a visible sign of his priestly ministry and his responsibility to exercise the Church’s sacred ministry among the faithful.

He was also presented with the keys of the church, symbolizing his responsibility to open the doors of the parish church to the People of God and to ensure that it remains a place of prayer, worship and encounter with Christ.

He was further presented with the keys to the tabernacle, signifying his responsibility for the proper care of the Most Blessed Sacrament and the Eucharistic life of the parish community.

As part of the installation rite, Fr. Mulindwa was presented at the confessional, signifying his pastoral responsibility to administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation and accompany the faithful in their journey of conversion and holiness.

The prescribed documents relating to the establishment of the parish and the installation of its first Parish Priest were subsequently signed by the relevant officials and witnesses.

Holy Mass then continued with the Liturgy of the Word.

During the Eucharistic celebration, Bishop Mukasa also administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to a number of young Catholics.

Bishop calls for intensified evangelization

In his address after Holy Mass, Bishop Mukasa challenged the newly appointed priests at St. Mary’s Lake View Parish Lwampanga to intensify evangelization and work towards increasing the number of Catholics in the area.

The Bishop said the establishment of the new parish should not merely make pastoral services more accessible to the faithful, but should also enable the Church to reach out to people who have not yet encountered the Gospel and invite them into the fullness of the Catholic faith.

He tasked the pioneer Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Edward Mulindwa, and his assistant, Rev. Fr. Wasswa Lubega Paul, to utilize their youthful energy and zeal for the Gospel to expand the Church’s pastoral presence in the area.

Bishop Mukasa said the location of the parish along Lake Kyoga, where communities are vulnerable to flooding, presented particular pastoral challenges that required the priests to adopt a more active and missionary approach.

He urged the priests not to wait for people to come to the church, but to go out to the people, reach them where they live and accompany them in their daily lives.

The Bishop drew on the experience of communities affected by floods to emphasize the Church’s mission of gathering and protecting the People of God, urging the priests to work fast and tirelessly to bring people together and strengthen them in their faith.

Diocese continues pastoral expansion

The inauguration of St. Mary’s Lake View Lwampanga Parish comes as Kasana-Luweero Diocese continues to expand its pastoral structures in response to the growing needs of the Catholic faithful.

The Diocese now has 32 parishes.

The inauguration also brings to eight the number of newly established parishes formally inaugurated by the Diocese this year.

The expansion follows Bishop Mukasa’s earlier announcement of the creation of 12 new parishes, aimed at bringing pastoral care and the Church’s evangelizing mission closer to the faithful.

Since the beginning of the year, the Diocese has been conducting ceremonies to formally inaugurate the newly established parishes and set them on course to provide pastoral, spiritual and administrative services to the Catholic faithful in their respective territories.

The ceremony was also broadcast live on the KLD Catholics Online YouTube channel, the Diocese’s digital platform for Catholic evangelization and livestreaming.

The celebrations concluded with a fundraising drive, during which Shs40 million was raised towards the development and pastoral needs of St. Mary’s Lake View Lwampanga Parish.

Lwampanga Pioneer Parish Priest Speaks

Speaking at the ceremony, Fr. Mulindwa thanked Bishop Mukasa for visiting St. Mary’s Lake View Lwampanga Parish, noting that the Bishop does not regard his presence in a parish as merely a visit, since all parishes in the Diocese are under his pastoral care and responsibility.

Fr. Mulindwa also expressed his gratitude to all those who contributed towards the construction of the priests’ residence, which he said would greatly support the pastoral ministry of the clergy serving the new parish.

He particularly thanked Kasana Cathedral Parish for the various forms of support extended to Lwampanga Parish during its establishment and development.

He also commended Eng. John Kaweesa for his support and contribution during the preparations for the establishment and inauguration of the parish.

Fr. Mulindwa further expressed special appreciation to the parishioners of Lwampanga and other well-wishers whose prayers, material contributions and other forms of support have contributed to the growth and development of the new parish.

Fr. Mulindwa also thanked all the contributors to the fundraising drive, saying that the support received had given the newly established parish a strong foundation and a good start in its journey of pastoral development.

Eng. John Kaweesa was the Guest of Honor at the ceremony.

 Rev. Fr. Edward Mulindwa seated in the confessional as he responds to the Vicar General of Kasana-Luweero Diocese, Msgr. Vincent De Paul Mukiibi, during his installation as the first Parish Priest of St. Mary’s Lake View Lwampanga Parish on Saturday, September 12, 2026. PHOTO BY KLD CATHOLICS ONLINE.

Kasana-Luweero Diocesan Vicar General, Msgr. Vincent De Paul Mukiibi, commissioning the newly constructed priests’ house at St. Mary’s Lake View Lwampanga Parish during the inauguration of the parish on Saturday, September 12, 2026. PHOTO BY KLD CATHOLICS ONLINE.

Bishop Lawrence Mukasa planting a commemorative tree during the inauguration of St. Mary’s Lake View Lwampanga Parish on Saturday, September 12, 2026. PHOTO BY KLD CATHOLICS ONLINE.

Priests in procession ahead of Holy Mass during the inauguration of St. Mary’s Lake View Lwampanga Parish on Saturday, September 12, 2026. PHOTO BY KLD CATHOLICS ONLINE.

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