Our Former Bishops

Bishop Wanok’s Predecessors:

Late Rt. Rev. Caesar Asili, 1st Bishop Of Lira Catholic Diocese

Late Rt. Rev. Caesar Asili was the first Bishop of Lira Diocese for 20 years, from 27th Oct 1968 to 12th Oct 1988, when he died. He founded the Missionary Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church (MSMMC), a religious congregation of diocesan right.

Late Rt. Rev. Joseph Oyanga
Late Rt. Rev. Joseph Oyanga, born on 28th February 1936, was ordained priest on the 19th May 1963 in Alanyi parish. He was elected as second Bishop of Lira Diocese on 14th July 1989. He was consecrated Bishop of Lira diocese on the 1st October 1989 and retired on the 2nd December 2003. He passed on 22nd July 2018 and was buried in the Cathedral of Lira.

Late Rt. Rev. Paul Lokiru Kalanda
Late Rt. Rev. Paul Lokiru Kalanda, born at Buwunde, Masaka Diocese on 24th February 1927, ordained priest on 21st December 1957. Appointed Bishop of Moroto on 29th November 1980. Consecrated Bishop on 22nd march 1981. Appointed Bishop of Fort Portal on 28th April 1991, installed Bishop of Fort Portal on 3rd November 1991. Retired on 15th June 2003 and appointed Apostolic Administrator of Lira Diocese on 2nd December 2003 till 9th July 2005. Bishop Kalanda died on 19 Aug 2015.

Rt. Rev. Joseph Franzeli
Rt. Rev. Joseph Franzeli, MCCJ, was born in Roccafranca, Brescia Diocese, in Northern Italy on 9th April 1942. He made his final vows as a Comboni Missionary on 9th September 1966, and was ordained a priest on 11h March 1967. He taught at the Pastoral Institute of Kitgum, Uganda (1972-73) and in Lacor Seminary, Gulu (1974-75). From 1975 to 1982 he was the Rector of Kitgum Pastoral Institute. He then worked in Patongo, where he was Parish Priest up to 1987. Back to Italy, he served seven years as Master of Postulants in Florence and two years as Vice-Provincial in Bologna. From 1996 he directed the Comboni Year of Ongoing Formation, commuting between Mexico and South Africa, and helping in various administrative tasks in Rome until he was elected as the third Bishop of Lira, He was ordained in Lira on 9th July 2005.

He acted as the Apostolic Administrator of Lira Diocese, until the installation of Bishop Wanok on 9th February 2019. He retired on 23 November 2018. He was Ordinery Bishop of Lira for 14 years and now resides in Ngetta.