This year has marked significant growth for the Catholic community in Kotido Diocese, with the establishment of two new parishes aimed at strengthening pastoral outreach and spiritual life across the region.
In April, the Bishop of Kotido Diocese, Dominic Eibu, officially inaugurated St. Daniel Comboni Parish in Kokoria, located in Kotido District. Later in the year, on 28 September, another milestone was achieved with the opening of St. Joseph Parish in Kalapata, Kaabong District. The addition of the two parishes brings the total number of parishes in the diocese to twelve.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Kalapata, Bishop Eibu described the creation of a new parish as a moment of joy and renewal for the Church community. He compared the occasion to the birth of a child, noting that while such moments bring happiness and hope, they also come with responsibility and commitment.
He encouraged Christians in the diocese to take collective responsibility for nurturing the new parish, emphasizing that it belongs to the entire faith community rather than only priests, catechists, or church leaders. According to the bishop, the growth and vibrancy of the parish will depend on the active participation and support of the faithful.
The newly established parish has been placed under the patronage of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary, and its annual parish celebration will be observed every 19 March. During the same event, Fr. John Bosco Etapar Lowang was installed as the parish priest, adding to the celebrations for the local community.
Fr. Samuel D. Lotuk, the Pastoral Coordinator of Kotido Catholic Diocese, explained that St. Joseph Parish Kalapata had previously functioned as a major chapel under Holy Cross Parish Kaabong before being elevated to the status of a canonical parish. For decades, the chapel served Catholic communities spread across the area following the establishment of Holy Cross Parish in 1955.
Historically, Holy Cross Parish Kaabong covered three pastoral zones: Kaabong, Kathile, and Kalapata. The Kalapata zone includes several chapels such as Lokwakaramae, Kamion, Timu, Lodwar, and Morukori, which mainly serve the Ik community, also known as the Teuso.
Church leaders noted that earlier discussions about creating a new parish had focused on Kathile. However, Kalapata was eventually considered more suitable because of its strategic location and its importance to the Ik community. The vision of establishing a parish in the area dates back several years and has long been supported by local church leadership.
Fr. Lotuk recalled that during his time serving at Holy Cross Parish Kaabong, efforts were made to strengthen pastoral work among the Ik people, including the construction of a priests’ residence in Kalapata to support regular ministry in the area.
The Ik are a small ethnic community living around Mount Morungole in Kaabong District in north-eastern Uganda near the Kenyan border. Many depend on subsistence farming for their livelihood and live in small clan-based settlements. Due to their relatively small population and remote location, the community has often faced challenges related to limited access to education, services, and development opportunities.
Kalapata is located about 30 kilometres from Holy Cross Parish Kaabong, a distance that church leaders say made the establishment of a new parish necessary to better serve the local Catholic population and strengthen pastoral care among the Ik community.
