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| The Late Bishop Paul Kalanda Bishop Emeritus of Fort Portal |
The Chairman of the Uganda Episcopal Conference (UEC) and Archbishop of Gulu, Most Rev. John Baptist Odama has described Bishop Paul Kalanda, the fallen Emeritus Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Portal, as a “profoundly great man who was a mentor, missionary and an icon of wisdom.”
Bishop Kalanda died in his sleep on the Tuesday morning 18th August at his residence in Villa Maria Parish located in the Diocese of Masaka, Central Region of Uganda.
“I received with great sadness the news of the passing on of Bishop Kalanda. He was once our Chairman at UEC, had abundant love for this nation and not just for the church,” said Archbishop Odama. “He desired unity, peace and holistic development of this country. We have lost one of the most influential, courageous and great men that was still required in the transformation process of our country.”
Born on February 24, 1927 in Buwunde, Masaka Diocese to Mr. Simon Zilyawukanya Kalanda and Mrs. Agnes Nakachwa, Bishop Kalanda had four siblings including three brothers (all now deceased- RIP) and one sister.
In 1934 he began his Catechism classes at Kabwoko Catholic Church located in the Diocese of Masaka. Upon his completion of his catechism course, he joined St. Francis Primary School and later went to Bukalasa Seminary in 1942 and Katigondo Major Seminary in 1949.
It was after his fifth year at Katigondo that he was offered a scholarship alongside his longtime friend, His Eminence Emmanuel Cardinal Wamala, to pursue their studies at Urbano University in Rome.
He was ordained a priest on December 21, 1957 and thereafter continued with his studies at the Jesuit-run Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome) where he earned his Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Canon Law in 1961.
In November 1961 he returned to Uganda and was appointed lecturer at Katigondo Major Seminary and later became Rector at the same seminary, making him the first African to assume that office.
He also obtained a diploma in African Social Anthropology at Oxford University in the United Kingdom in 1967. He was one of the founders of the Catholic Higher Institute of East Africa (CHIEA) currently known as the Catholic University of East Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, Kenya.
On November 29, 1980 he was appointed Bishop of Moroto Diocese located in Tororo Ecclesiastical Province and was consecrated Bishop on March 22, 1981. He was later appointed as Bishop of Fort Portal on April 28, 1991 and installed as the ordinary on November 3, 1991 until his retirement on June 15, 2003. He served as the Apostolic Administrator of Lira Diocese from December 2, 2003 until July 9, 2005.
Bishop Kalanda is being laid to rest on Friday 21st August, at Bukalasa Seminary Cemetery in Masaka Diocese starting with a Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m.
By Jacinta W. Odongo; Uganda Episcopal Conference, Media Officer
