PROFILE OF MSGR. JOSEPH KIZITO, THE BISHOP ELECT OF ALIWAL
Rev Msgr Joe (Joseph) Kizito was born on the 2ndJuly, 1967 in Rubaga-Wakaliga Uganda. He was born from the late Mr. Charles Nsubuga Kinanina of Masaka Kingo and Mrs Babirye Christine Kayaga Nsubuga of Kyengera Nabaziza. He was born in a family of ten children five boys and five girls, he is the sixth child.
He did his Primary Education in Rubaga Christian Brothers School, then continued in Achilet Banakaloli Brothers Primary School in Tororo up to P7.
After completing his primary school he moved to Lubiri Secondary School from S1 up to S6. During this time there he was very active as a alter server at Lubaga Cathedral Parish by then under the Parish Priest now Msgr Katende J.W. He was also very active as a Youth Leader of the SCC (Akabondo St Antony Sub Parish Wakalinga). It was there where he started reflecting about his vocation to priesthood.
After a year of being in the Cathedral he joined the Order of the Servants of Mary at (OSM) in Kisonga and one year later he went to join St Augustine Major Seminary Roma Lesotho where he obtained his Cum laude Probatus degree in Philosophy.
In 1992 Msgr Kizito joined the Diocese of Aliwal and took up a teaching post at Maclomes High School, as a preparation Theology Studies. From 1993 -1996, he was at St John Vianney Seminary Pretoria, where he obtained his BST degree through Urbanian University in Rome.
On the 14 December 1996 Bishop Emeritus Frederick Lobinger ordained him to Diaconate at St Teresa Roman Catholic Church in the Diocese of Aliwal. The following year 1997 on 27TH September, he was ordained to Priesthood in the Diocese of Aliwal North.
As a young priest he did his pastoral work in St Francis Catholic Church under the supervision of Fr Jabu Khumalo, as the assistant parish priest. During this time he was given the responsibilities of putting more focus in building the Small Christian Communities (SCC) as part of his pastoral focus and cultivating the spirit of prayer together with the people of God.
On 1st January 1998 -2003, Msgr Kizito was appointed to Mhlanga Parish. He was the first black priest working in the parish. It was during this time when he decided to pursue his postgraduate studies Missiology with the University of South Africa (UNISA). He obtained both his Master’s Degree in Missiology and Theology in the same university.
From 2003 he was transferred to Sterkspruit Pastoral Region as a moderator and Priest in Charge, up to 2013. In 2008, the now Bishop Emeritus of Aliwal North, Bishop Michael Wustenberg appointed him to be his Vicar General.
On the 8th April 2009, it was on Holy Thursday, Bishop Michael Wustenberg announced officially that the Holy Father Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, had conferred the title of Honorary Prelate (Msgr) to by then Rev. Fr Joseph Kizito. He was given this honor together with Rev Fr Franz Aertker.
In 2013 Msgr Kizito was moved to the Pastoral Region of Aliwal North where he has been working until now when he is appointed as the New Bishop of Aliwal North Diocese, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
The Bishop Elect of Aliwal Dioceses continues to minister in seven churches which are so apart from each with the furthest with 120 km from the main parish.
Msgr Kizito was appointed the Bishop of Aliwal North, while he was at the last stage of completing his PhD in Missiology; focusing on the youth sexuality and behaviour change in Areas of HIV and AIDS.
The Bishop elect is preparing himself to lead the Archdiocese which has 15 main parishes and many outstations/churches apart from each other. One of the challenges facing the diocese is the lack of vocations to Priesthood and Religious Life.
We thank God for the vocation of Msgr Joseph Kizito, and his commitment in ministering to the people of God in South Africa, especially in the Aliwal North Diocese. The date of his Episcopal Ordination will be announced soon or later. We are all invited to journey with him in prayer during this time of preparations for taking a leadership of Aliwal North Diocese.
We congratulate the faithful of Aliwal North Diocese for this new shepherd after many years without a Bishop.
May the Mother of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Uganda Martyrs through their blood, and Blessed Benedict Daswa our Own intercede for this servant of God and the Church in our land.
God bless Africa our land!