Katigondo National Major Seminary
| Type | Private, Seminary |
|---|---|
| Established | January 1, 1911 |
| Founder | Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) |
| Accreditation | Uganda Episcopal Conference Uganda National Council for Higher Education |
| Affiliation | White Fathers |
Religious affiliation | Catholic |
| Rector | Father David Ssenkaayi |
| Students | 270 |
| Location | Villa Maria, Kalungu, Kalungu District , 00°13′38″S 31°44′07″E / 0.22722°S 31.73528°E |
| Website | www |
  Location in Uganda | |
Katigondo National Major Seminary, (also Saint Thomas Aquinas National Major Seminary Katigondo) is a National Seminary of the Catholic Church in Uganda. The institution is a training facility and House of Formation under the auspices of the Uganda Episcopal Conference (UEC). The institution is also accredited by the Uganda National Council for Higher Education to teach some non-religious academic courses.
Location
[edit]The seminary is located in Villa Maria, a suburb of the municipality of Kalungu in Kalungu District in the Greater Masaka sub-region in the southwest of the Buganda Region in Uganda. This is approximately 16 kilometres (10 mi) northwest of the central business district of Masaka City.[1]
History
[edit]Katigondo Seminary was opened at the present location in 1911. In 1913, it graduated two Ugandan priests; Father Basil Lumu and Father Victor Mukasa Womeraka, the first sub-Saharan Africans to be ordained Catholic priests in the modern era. Over the first 100 years of existence, the seminary has trained 4,000 to 5,000 seminarians. Of these 1,900 were ordained priests. Of these, 29 were appointed bishops and at least three were created cardinals.[2][3][4]
Academics
[edit]The seminary is primarily a philosophical school, which instructs seminarians in philosophy before sending them to Ggaba National Major Seminary, in Ggaba, Kampala, where they study Theology and then are ordained priests. In addition to religious courses, the seminary in accredited by the Uganda National Council for Higher Education to provide non-religious courses, including the BSc in Business Accounting and Financial Management.[5]
Rectors
[edit]In July 2023, Pope Francis appointed Father David Ssenkaayi to succeed Father Herman Kituuma, who had served as rector for over 12 years. Father Tamale Mugagga was appointed by the Uganda Episcopal Conference as the vice-rector.[4]
Alumni
[edit]Prominent alumni of Katigondo Major Seminary include the following.[4]
- Bishop Joseph Kiwanuka, the first sub-Saharan African bishop.
- Cardinal Laurean Rugambwa, the first sub-Saharan African cardinal.
- Cardinal Emmanuel Kiwanuka Nsubuga, the first Ugandan cardinal
- Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, the second Ugandan cardinal.[4]
- Bishop John Baptist Kakubi, Bishop Emeritus of Mbarara, Uganda.[6]
- Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, Archbishop of Kampala (Deceased).[7]
- Bishop Lawrence Mukasa, Bishop of Kasana-Luweero.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Road Distance Between Masaka Police Barracks, Masaka City And Katigondo National Major Seminary, Villa Maria, Kalungu District" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
- ^ Daily Monitor (20 April 2012). "Katigondo National Seminary At 101 Years". Daily Monitor. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
- ^ Juliet Lukwago (10 January 2013). "Katigondo Seminary In Need of Sh3 Billion For Centenary Event". New Vision. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f New Vision (10 July 2023). "St. Thomas Aquinas National Major Seminary Katigondo Gets New Rector". New Vision. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
- ^ George Ebine (4 March 2025). "St. Thomas Aquinas National Major Seminary-Katigondo: These programs are on offer at St. Thomas Aquinas National Major Seminary-Katigondo". Uganda National Council for Higher Education (UNCHE). Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
- ^ Jacinta W. Odongo (19 February 2016). "Uganda: UEC Mourns Rt Rev Kakubi, Bishop Emeritus of Mbarara". Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA). Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
- ^ "His Grace Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga". Archdiocese of Kampala. Kampala, Uganda. 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
- ^ Uganda Catholics Online (29 April 2023). "Who is Msgr Lawrence Mukasa Newly appointed Bishop of Kasana-Luweero Diocese". Uganda Catholics Online. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 23 March 2025.