Nebbi Catholic Diocese
Bishop Ordinary
On Tuesday 26th November 2024, His Holiness Pope Francis appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Nebbi the Rev. Fr. Constantine Rupiny, a the Clergy of the same Diocese of Nebbi, until now, the Rector of the Uganda Martyrs' National Major Seminary Alokolum, Gulu. He was bom on l0 November 1974 at Parombo, Diocese of Nebbi. After his primary education at Parombo, Primary School (1983-1989), he joined the Minor Seminar SS. Peter and Paul, Pokea, Arua (1990-1996) for Advanced Secondary School certificate. He studied Philosophy at (Uganda Martyrs' National Major Seminary Alokolum, Gulu (1996-1999). After a year of pastoral experience, he was admitted to the St. Mary's National Major Seminary, Ggaba, Kampala, for the Theological Studies (2000-2004).
He obtained a Licenciate in Philosophy at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome (2009-2011) and a Licenciate and Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology at the University Cardinal Stefan Wyszyriski, in Warsaw, Poland (2018-2022). On 28 August 2004, he was ordained priest in the Cathedral of Nebbi, by the then Bishop of Nebbi Martin Luluga for the Diocese of Nebbi.
He served as Assistant Priest at Kango Parish (200a-2005); Parish Priest of Akanyo Parish (2005-2007); Member (2005-2007) and Vice Chairman of the Priests, Council of the Diocese of Nebbi (2017 -2018); At the Uganda Martyrs National Major Seminary, Alokolum, Gulu, Formator and Teaching Staff member (2007-2009), Assistant Dean of Studies and then Dean of Studies (2013-2018); Vice Rector (2023) and Rector from September 2023 until 26th November 2024.
He speaks English, Italian and local languages ((Alur, Acholi and Luo). He was installed as the Bishop of Nebbi Catholic Diocese on 22nd February 2025 by His Grace Raphael Wokorach assisted by His Excellency Luigi Bianco the Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda.
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The Catholic faith infiltrated Northern Uganda through the work of the Verona Fathers now known as Comboni Missionaries; Bishop Daniel Comboni who became the Apostolic Vicar of Khartoum in the Vicariate of Central Africa (in December 1877) founded this Congregation. After his death in 1881, the Comboni missionaries continued with the work under Bishop Xavier Francis Geyer moving southwards from Bahrel Ghazal through Gondokoro where they reached on 18th of January 1910, then Nimule until they arrived in Pakwach. At Nimule on the Uganda-Sudan boarder, they were not allowed to enter Uganda as they could not produce an entry permit except a recommendation from the Governor General of Sudan.
But later, they were cleared from Entebbe and at last on 17th of February 1910, they reached their destination; the government post of Koba, a settlement on the Eastern bank of River Nile more or less facing the Present day Pakwach. As for the recent History of the Catholic Diocese of Nebbi, it was erected by Pope John Paul II on 23rd of February, 1996 under the patronage of Immaculate Heart of Mary. Its first Bishop was the Rt. Rev. John Baptist Odama, who received his Episcopal Ordination on 26th May 1996. He worked in Nebbi diocese until 1999 when he became the first Archbishop of Gulu Archdiocese.
The Ecclesiastical Province of Gulu comprises Gulu Archdiocese, and the suffragan Dioceses of Nebbi, Arua and Lira. Nebbi Catholic Diocese was curved from Arua Diocese in West Nile Region. Geographically, Nebbi Catholic Diocese covers a total land area of 5098 square kilometres in the Districts of Nebbi, Zombo, Pakwach and Madi-Okollo recently curved from Arua District. When the Ecclesiastical Province of Gulu was created in 1999, Archbishop John Baptist Odama was transferred to the see of Gulu as the first Metropolitan Archbishop and the see of Nebbi was taken over by Rt. Rev. Martin Luluga who was the then Bishop of Gulu.
The third Ordinary of Nebbi Catholic Diocese was Rt. Rev. Sanctus Lino Wanok who was appointed on the 08th of February 2011 after Bishop Martin Luluga retired. On 9th of February 2019, Bishop Sanctus, became the Bishop of Lira after his transfer there. Now the see of Nebbi is Vacant with a Diocesan Administrator, Msgr. Emmanuel Odaga steering the Diocese. He was elected by the College of Consultors on 11th of February 2019 to this task. The Diocese now has 19 Parishes and 3 Sub-Parishes.
About the Diocese
Immaculate Heart of Mary Cathedral - Catholic Diocese of Nebbi
Welcome to Nebbi Catholic diocese! Find on this website information about the history of the diocese, its bishop, the main functions in the diocese, diocesan statistics, religious communities of men and women with their respective addresses, other institutions including seminaries, catechetical centre, hospitals and health centres, parishes, centres with resident priests, diocesan and religious priests with their dates of ordination.
Bishop’s HouseP.O. Box 88, NEBBI-UGANDA
Tel: +256 772 517368