Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Ugandan Archbishop Dr. Augustine Kasujja.

Kasujja has reached retirement age after serving for a long time.

He was the first African Apostolic Nuncio in different countries.

Archbishop Kasujja who turns 75 -years old in April was Papal Nuncio to Belgium. At 75  bishops are required to send a resignation letter to the Pope. 

 Uganda was proud to have a Ugandan national as the representative of the  Vatican. It is worth mentioning that it is the first time in history that an African national is the Pronuncio.

Kasujja’s resignation to the Vatican retirement will give Pope Francis the chance to select another prelate to replace him. But even before being appointed Nuncio, Dr. Kasujja had spent most of his priestly years in the Vatican diplomatic circles.

The milestone that will mark the beginning of the end of his tenure of representing the Pope in countries.

Under church law, prelates must offer to resign upon reaching that birthday. It is up to Pope Francis to decide whether to accept it, reject it, or keep the archbishop on until a successor can be named.

Archbishop Kasujja turned 75 years old in April and submitted his resignation to Pope Francis in accordance with the Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church.

Kasujja’s resignation to the Vatican retirement will give Pope Francis the chance to select another prelate to replace him.

Appointed

At first, the late Pope John Paul II appointed Kasujja to be his ambassador to Tunisia and Algeria on May 26, 1998.

Kasujja, the first black African to be appointed Pope's representative, was recently ordained by Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.

His service

Kasujja served as Titular Archbishop of Caesarea in Numidia, he was later appointed a Papal Nuncio to Algeria on May 26, 1998. He was later transferred to Apostolic Nuncio to Tunisia.

On April 22, 2004 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Madagascar, taking Seychelles and Comoros. On June 9, 2004 he was appointed the Apostolic Nuncio to Mauritius, on February, 2, 2010 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria; then on October 12, 2016 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium, on December 7, 2016 he was transferred and appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Luxembourg. On August 31, 2021, he was appointed retired Apostolic Nuncio to Luxembourg Belgium.

Archbishop Kasujja who has been a Papal Nuncio for 23 years in different countries submitted his resignation to the Vatican.

Archbishop Kasujja after transferring from Nigeria to Belgium. The First black Papal Ambassador (Apostolic Nuncio) Archbishop Kasujja transferred to Belgium, after six years of meritorious service as the representative of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in Nigeria. He was the Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium from 2016 to 2021.

Who is Archbishop Kasujja?

He was born to Katalina Nanseko and Yozefu Naluswa in Ssango, Mawokota, Mitala Maria, Mpigi district on April 26, 1946. Kasujja is the third born in a family of 11 children.

Before joining Kisubi Minor Seminary between 1960 and 1965, he attended Ssango and Mitala Maria Primary Schools.

He studied at the major seminary in Katigondo (1966–1967) and the Pontifical Urban University in Rome (1967–1974).

First to hold the title of Apostolic Nuncio

He was the first black African to hold the title of apostolic nuncio. He received his episcopal consecration on August 22, 2004 at Rubaga Cathedral from Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala.

But on April 22, 2004, Pope John Paul named him Apostolic Nuncio to Madagascar and Seychelles and Apostolic Delegate to Comoros and Réunion.

On June 9, 2004,  Kasujja was also made Nuncio to Mauritius. On February 2, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria.

Pope Francis, on December 13, 2013, added to his responsibilities the role of permanent observer to the Economic Community of Western African States (ECOWAS). On October 12, 2016, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium, adding the position of Nuncio to Luxembourg on December 7.