Bishop’s Message

DEAR PEOPLE OF GOD

You are most welcome to the official website of Uganda Martyrs’ National Major Seminary, Alokolum, located in the Archdiocese of Gulu, Uganda. You will find on this website information about the student seminarians, members of the Formation and Support Staff, activities in the Seminary and some relevant links to other organs of the Catholic Church, both Local and Universal.

Uganda Martyrs’ National Major Seminary, Alokolum, (henceforth referred to as Alokolum Seminary) is owned by the Uganda Episcopal Conference in collegial, collective and active responsibility. The latter is an Assembly of the Catholic Episcopal Hierarchy in Uganda. Both, the Uganda Episcopal Conference and Alokolum Seminary, are constituted with the approval of the Holy See in the Vatican City, Rome, and were founded in 1960 and 1983 respectively. The Seminary is led by a Rector, who is proposed by the Episcopal Conference of Uganda and appointed by the Holy See. He is assisted by the members of the Formation staff.

Alokolum Seminary was started in answer to the need of the Church in line with the observation of the Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, “The harvest is abundant but the labourers are few.” (Mt 9:37). The Church in Uganda and beyond still needs ordained ministers to accomplish her mission of bringing salvation to all human beings. The Lord Jesus, today, still calls, summons, instructs and sends those he chooses to continue his mission of God’s Kingdom, just as he did, about two thousand years ago, with the twelve disciples (see his missionary discourse Mt. 9:36 – 10:8 and the universal commissioning 28:19-20).

Alokolum Seminary plays a part in that call of Jesus by receiving young men and forming them into his worthy representatives. The formation programme and process is according to the mind of the Mother Church who directs that, “… the whole training of the students should have as its object to make them true shepherds of souls after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, teacher, priest, and shepherd.” (Vatican Council II, Decree on the Training of Priests [Optatam Totius], #4).

Alokolum Seminary, like other Major Seminaries in Uganda, is an educational, ecclesial, and formation community, in which the seminarians are accompanied to discern their vocation and to begin preparing for becoming faithful and committed future priests. “ ….. the seminary and its entire life, in all its different expressions, is committed to formation, the human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation of future priests.” (John Paul II, I will Give You Shepherds, [Pastores Dabo Vobis], #61) At this stage, the intellectual formation is mainly philosophical but also offers introductions to some main branches of theology.

We request you to support our Seminary with your prayers and if possible with donations of every kind so that it fulfils its mission of forming future priests with less financial strain.

May God bless our Seminary and also bless you and wonderfully reward you for your good will and intentions for this formation house.

I impart on you my heartfelt apostolic blessings!

+Rt. Rev. Francis Aquirinus Kibira

BISHOP OF KASESE DIOCESE AND CHAIRMAN: UGANDA EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE COMMISSION FOR PRIESTLY FORMATION