The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Rev. Fr. Vincent Byansi, the inaugural Director of Caritas Kasanaensis, the social development arm of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kasana-Luwero, has passed away.
The news was announced by Kizito Katureebe, the Financial Administrator of the Kasana-Luwero Diocese. According to Katureebe, Fr. Byansi, who created some controversy in later years, died at Bishop Asili Memorial Hospital in Kasana, Luwero Town Council.
“Byansi Vincent, the first director of Caritas Kasanaensis, has passed on. His body is still at Bishop Asili-Kasana. May he Rest in Peace,” Katureebe posted at 11:21 PM in the WhatsApp group for the parishioners of Kasana Cathedral. Rev. Fr. Denis Ssebugwaawo, the Diocesan Pastoral Coordinator for Kasana-Luwero, confirmed the news to Uganda Radio Network (URN).
In a brief phone interview, Fr. Ssebugwaawo expressed his sorrow over Fr. Byansi’s passing and indicated that a meeting for stakeholders is being scheduled to address this development. He assured URN that further details would be provided after the meeting. Fr. Byansi served as the Director of Caritas under the late Dr. Cyprian Kizito Lwanga, the founding Bishop of the Kasana-Luwero Diocese.
He was succeeded by Rev. Fr. Hilary Muheezangango during the administration of Rt. Rev. Paul Ssemogerere, the second bishop of the diocese, who is currently the Archbishop of Kampala. Fr. Muheezangango was later succeeded by Fr. Jude Masembe as the Director of Caritas under the present administration of Rt. Rev. Lawrence Mukasa, the third bishop of Kasana-Luwero Diocese.
In July 2016, Archbishop Lwanga suspended Fr. Jacinto Kibuuka. Fr. Vincent Byansi, then the Director of Caritas Kampala, publicly disagreed with Lwanga regarding the suspension of his colleague, Fr. Kibuuka. Following the suspension, Fr. Kibuuka announced his departure from the Catholic Church, which the bishops interpreted as a form of self-excommunication.
URN reported in November 10, 2016, that the Catholic Bishops of Uganda issued a joint statement confirming the excommunication of Fr. Kibuuka, who subsequently established the Mamre International Prayer Center after joining the Canada-based Evangelical Orthodox Church (EOC). The statement from the Uganda Episcopal Conference (UEC) came nearly two weeks after Fr. Kibuuka, who had been suspended in July, ordained priests at Namagogo in Mubende town.
“We, the Catholic Bishops of Uganda, have learned with dismay that on October 29, 2016, two self-styled ‘bishops’ conducted a purported priestly ordination on the grounds of a school belonging to Mr. Sylivester Rwaka at Namagogo in Mubende town,” part of the statement read, signed by then-Archbishop John Baptist Odama of Gulu Archdiocese, the Episcopal Chairman.
The statement noted that among those present at the ordination were Fr. Kibuuka, Fr. Deogratias Ssonko, and the late Fr. Vincent Kisenyi Byansi.
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