Kibona Parish-St. John the Baptist
Kibona Parish belonged to Nyamitanga Parish until 2009 when Fr. John Baptist Tibamwenda was appointed as the first resident priest. It was later inaugurated as a parish officially in 2012 by Archbishop Paul K. Bakyenga.
It is located in Birere Sub-county, Isingiro North Constituency, Isingiro District, approximately 30 Kms from Nyamitanga Cathedral.
The construction of the current church begun in 1987 and was completed in 1993 during the same year Bishop John Baptist Kakubi opened and blessed it. The parish has 9 Centres and 5 Hiikas with 9 Catholic founded primary schools and one Catholic founded secondary school- Kibona Vocational Secondary School.
Kibona Parish lies at the outskirts of Mbarara City and to quantify the closeness of Kibona Parish to the City is the famous Runyankole saying, Ekifu ky’omutiima kiraara Birere, literary meaning it is only a foolish person who can choose to sleep in Bireere a stone throw from the City centre when his destination was Mbarara.
The population benefits from the ready market in the City of their agricultural products especially bananas that are commonly grown in this area.
The Parish shares boarders with parishes of Katukuru, Nyamitanga, Kakoma and Rwenyaga.
Named after Saint Charles Lwanga because of the leadership role among the Uganda Martyrs, St. Charles Lwanga Omukashanda Parish was a Center of Rubindi Parish until November 20, 2019, when Rev. Fr. Leo Tinkatumire PhD arrived as the very first priest to pioneer a parish in that locality.
Our parish is named after St. Charles Lwanga, one of the Uganda Martyrs. The proper name is St. Charles Lwanga Bubaare Catholic Parish. Bubaare is the name of the place where it is located.
On 13 March 2022, the second Sunday of Lent, His Grace Lambert Bainomugisha, the Archbishop of Mbarara, erected a new Parish called St. Mathew Katete. This was done in accordance with can. 515 § 2. Pursuant to can. 519, Rev. Fr. Jean Pierre Maheshe of the Society of Missionary of Africa (White Fathers) was entrusted with the new parish as the founding parish priest.
Christ the King Kakindo became independent from Mushanga in 2014.
Kishariro was carved off from Kagamba Parish by Archbishop Paul K. Bakyenga in 2018. Fr. Oscar Ahimbisibwe became the founding priest, starting his service at Kishariro on August 26, 2018. Later, on August 20, 2020, Fr. Camilus Kwehangana joined as the assistant parish priest and continues to serve to date.
The evangelization of Kyamuhunga Parish can be traced back to 1912 when Fr. Jorelli baptized Mr. Arkadius on 17th May 1912 and Mr. Bantora Nicola on 5th December 1912. It is said that Yohana Kitagana settled at the present-day Kakoni and started initiating the people to the Catholic faith, and the Missionaries (White Fathers) would come following him to administer sacraments. From 1912 to 1917, 35 people were baptized, all from Kakoni. In the 1930s, people from other places like Kyamuhunga and Bitooma started getting baptized.
Kyamwiru parish started as a Center with a resident Priest in 1998. It is said that Fr. Cyril Mbura, who was serving as Curate at Rugazi parish, came for a burial in Nyamirima (one of the Hiikas in Kyamwiru). Due to heavy rain and slippery roads, he could not travel back and spent the night at Kyamwiru Center, which was competing with Ibamba Center for elevation to Parish status. From then, Fr. Cyril Mbura vowed never to go back to Rugazi and became a permanent resident at Kyamwiru.
St. Adolf Ishongororo Catholic Parish is composed of 35 outstations and 148 Small Christian Communities (SCCs). There are 8 areas proposed for new outstations. The parish serves a Catholic population of 18,209 and includes 14 government-aided primary schools, 4 church schools, 3 secondary schools, and 1 technical school.
St. Luke Kashorero Centre was carved out of Butare Parish and received its first resident priest in October 2013. Fr. Hillary Turyahabwe was the founding priest, followed by Fr. Didas Tumwiine. On August 12, 2019, Fr. Bruno Tumuramye took charge and was joined by Fr. Chrispus Amumpaire on September 12, 2022. Both are currently serving the parish.