On December12, 1971, Kaggwa was ordained a priest at the age of 28 years.
The cold hand of grim reaper has on Wednesday January 20, struck the Catholic church in Uganda and plucked out the bright rose flower in the garden of many faithful hearts. Emeritus Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa is that flower.
Bishop Kaggwa breathed his last today at Intensive Care Unit Mulago hospital after he succumbed to the novel corona virus disease. Fr. Edward Ssekana, the Masaka Diocese head of communication confirmed to the reports.
Bishop Kaggwa, was a selfless , prayerful and loyal servant of God who could give up his own life so someone else could live.
Born on 23 March 1943 at Bulenga, Busiro County, Wakiso District, in Buganda, Bishop Kaggwa has died at the age of 77.
He is the Bishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Masaka, where he served as the Ordinary from 10 January 1998 until his retirement on 16 April 2019.
According to archives, Kaggwa attended Lubaga Boys Primary School from 1952 until he completed Primary 6 in 1957. He then joined Kisubi Minor Seminary in 1958. While at Kisubi, he studied Latin. Later he studied at Katigondo Major Seminary, were he studied Philosophy. This marked as a turning point to his priesthood.
In 1965, Archbishop Joseph Kiwanukasent him to study at Pontifical Urban University, in Rome, on scholarship. He was ordained deacon in May 1970 in Rome.
While still in Rome, Kaggwa was ordained a priest on 12 December 197, at the age of 28 years. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Canon Law andSecular Law, awarded by Pontifical Urban University.
Following his doctoral studies, he was appointed vice-rector of the Pontifical College of St Paul, in Rome, for five years. He returned to Uganda in the 1980s and was appointed the first rector of St. Mbaaga Seminary at Ggaba a position he held until 1994 when he was appointed a coadjutor Bishop of Masaka in Uganda.
On June 24, 1995, he was consecrated bishop by Bishop Adrian Kivumbi Ddungu.
Between a period of more than two years (from 19 December 1994 to10 January 1998), Bishop Kaggwa served as Coadjutor Bishop of Masaka.
On 10 January, 1998, Bishop Kaggwa succeeded as the Bishop of Masaka diocese succeeding Bishop Adrian Kivumbi Ddungu, a position he held until his retirement on April16,2019.
On 6 July 2019, Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa was the Principal Consecratorof his replacement, Bishop Serverus Jjumba as the Ordinary of Masaka Diocese.
By the time of his death, Bishop Kaggwa has been serving as Bishop Emeritus of Masaka Roman Catholic Church but continued to work in the diocese as directed by his successor, Bishop Jjumba.
We pray his warmth, wisdom and generosity lives on in the faiths of the church.
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