More than three decades after Pope John Paul II visited Kasese Catholic Diocese, memories of the historic occasion remain vivid among Catholics and residents across the Rwenzori Sub-region. The Pope’s visit in 1993 came barely four years after the establishment of the diocese in 1989, which had been carved out of Fort Portal Catholic Diocese. At the time, the young diocese under the Ecclesiastical Province of Mbarara Archdiocese was still finding its footing, alongside sister dioceses of Kabale, Hoima and Fort Portal.
For many believers, hosting the Pope on February 8, 1993 was a divine blessing and a defining moment in the history of the diocese. The memories of the Pope’s visit 33 years later continue to inspire the faithful. Among those who vividly remember the preparations is Fr Expedito Kisembo Masereka Abooki, who served as the Vicar General of Kasese Diocese at the time and chaired the organising committee for the papal visit.
‘When the news came to the diocese, we were extremely nervous, excited and overjoyed,’ Fr Masereka recalls. With the Pope visiting Western Uganda, he says several dioceses including Mbarara, Hoima and Masaka wanted to host the Pope. However, Parliament eventually resolved that Kasese would host the pontiff because of its strategic airstrip and central location in the western region. ‘Then they told me, ‘Expedito, you are now the chairperson of the Pope’s visit.’ I said, ‘Wow, with God’s help, I can do it,” he narrates.
Different committees were formed and as chairperson of the organising committee, Fr Masereka coordinated church leaders, government officials and volunteers drawn from across western Uganda. ‘We had teams from Fort Portal, Mbarara and Kabale helping us organise the event in Kasese. Choirs came from different dioceses. It united the Church,’ he says. He adds that the preparations transformed the region. Roads such as the one leading to the venue were opened and others improved, including the road behind the bishop’s residence in Kasese where the Pope later passed.
‘There had never been a function like it in Kasese,’ Fr Masereka recalls. Despite the excitement, security remained tight due to the ADF insurgency in the Rwenzori region then. Helicopters hovered in the skies as thousands of believers descended from the Rwenzori Mountain slopes on foot to attend the Mass. ‘You could see lines of people coming down from the mountains, others climbed trees just to catch a glimpse of the Pope.’ As vicar general, he said he personally welcomed the Pope at Kasese Airstrip and he remembers a light-hearted exchange with Pope at the airstrip that left him overwhelmed with joy.
‘My bishop introduced me to the Pope. The Pope looked at me and said, ‘Oh, he is a young vicar general and I replied, ‘Yes Holiness, the diocese is also young.’ We all laughed. Have you ever laughed with the Pope? Even today, I still remember that moment,’ he says. He added, ‘The Pope wanted to stay at the airport, enjoying our dance from the choir, which welcomed him. He wanted to keep touching children but we later got into the car to go to the bishop residence,’
Mass
Fr Masereka says while in Kasese, the Pope presided over the Mass which began at 9am. It was attended by thousands of believers, and because the church was small, the Mass was organised outside, near the bishop residence, which had enough space. He adds that the Pope was flanked by other bishops in the Mass. The security team had a hard time controlling the crowd, with many people attempting to move forward to have a better view of and touch the Pope. ‘There was a long line following the bishops and all, touching the bishops. They thought that maybe the bishops were touching the Pope so they could also tap into the blessing, I still have a lot of memories of that day,’ he says.
Fr Masereka says the unforgettable moment came when Pope John Paul II greeted the congregation in Lukonzo, at the beginning of the Holy Mass, saying, ‘Obuholho bubye nenyu’, meaning ‘peace be with you’. That drew excitement and thunderous applause from the crowd. ‘When he greeted people in Lukonzo, you can imagine how the Bakonzo felt, majority left saying Pope knows Lukonzo language,’ he adds.
He says the Pope took part in serving Holy Communion, adding that they had earlier been instructed to look for new converts, the elderly, and those with disabilities to be presented before the Pope to receive Holy Communion. Fr Masereka says the Pope preferred simplicity throughout the visit. ‘There was no extravagant feeding. The Pope himself had told us, ‘I will come when I have already eaten. Just prepare a soda and biscuits.’ That is exactly what we did,’ he recalls.
The priest says the visit had a lasting impact beyond the Catholic Church. According to him, it strengthened cooperation among religious groups, improved relations between the Church and government, and helped ease tensions in the Rwenzori region. ‘It softened people’s hearts. Catholics worked together with other faiths and government officials in organising the visit. That unity remained even after the Pope left,’ he says.
In remembrance of the day, the diocese erected a statue of the Pope and also constructed an adoration chapel at the place where the alter was placed during the Pope’s visit. As Kasese Diocese looks ahead to animating the 2027 Uganda Martyrs’ Day celebrations after the cancellation of the 2026 event because of Ebola, many Catholics say the memory of Pope John Paul II’s visit continues to inspire faith, unity and resilience. For older believers who witnessed the historic day in 1993, the excitement surrounding the upcoming Martyrs’ Day celebrations revived memories of the time when the young Kasese Diocese welcomed the Pope.