Clare
The Catholic Diocese of Fort Portal has officially bid farewell to Mr. Andrew Baguma of Bukwali Parish, who has served as the Diocesan Head Catechist for eight years and eight months, and welcomed his successor, Mr. Francis Bagonza from Katoosa Parish.
Peaceful Handover
The peaceful handover took place on Tuesday August 12, 2025, at St. Adolf Ongoing Formation Center, Mukabura, and was officiated by the Rt. Rev. Robert Muhiirwa Akiiki, the Ordinary of the Diocese, alongside Fr. Gerald Akugizibwe, the Pastoral Coordinator. The event brought together Catechists from all 36 parishes of the Diocese who were for their annual General Meeting to witness the transition in leadership.
Speaking to Jubilee Radio, Fr. Gerald Akugizibwe expressed the Diocese’s heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing Head Catechist for his dedicated service.
“We appreciate the efforts and contributions of Mr. Baguma, and we celebrate his achievements in building a strong foundation for catechetical ministry,” he said.
He further echoed Bishop Muhiirwa’s earlier call to all Catechists to prioritize catechism classes both in parishes and in homes as a way of nurturing a spiritually strong generation.
Baguma’s Eight Year Leadersghip Tenure
In his farewell remarks, Mr. Baguma thanked Bishop Muhiirwa and the entire Diocese for the dignified send-off. He cited key accomplishments during his tenure, including upgrading the Catechists’ constitution, introducing a uniform dress code for decency, advocating for Catechists’ salaries, organizing spiritual seminars, and establishing SACCOs and workshops to boost socio-economic development.
However, he also noted challenges that remain unresolved, such as the lack of a dedicated office at the Diocesan headquarters, absence of a computer for digital record-keeping, and lack of a vehicle to facilitate visits to Catechists across the Diocese.
New Head Catechist reveals a strategic plan
The newly appointed Head Catechist, Mr. Francis Bagonza, praised his predecessor for laying a solid groundwork for the ministry. Outlining his vision, Bagonza pledged to focus on strengthening collaboration between Catechists and priests, prioritizing Catechism classes, and nurturing Small Christian Communities.
He also emphasized the importance of improving the academic and professional qualifications of Catechists to meet the demands of modern ministry.
Mr. Bagonza revealed plans to transform the economic well-being of Catechists through mindset-change workshops, stronger SACCOs, and commercial agriculture ventures such as cocoa, coffee, and tea farming.
In addressing the concerns raised by his predecessor, he appealed to the Bishop and the Diocesan Pastoral Office to provide a permanent office space and reliable transportation for the Head Catechist’s work.