Pope Leo IV has appointed Msgr. Simon Peter Engurait, a Uganda-born priest, as the new bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in the United States.
The appointment was officially announced by the Vatican this week and marks a historic milestone for Uganda’s Catholic community.
Msgr. Engurait, who has been serving as diocesan administrator of Houma-Thibodaux, becomes only the second Ugandan to be appointed bishop outside Uganda.
He joins Bishop Joseph Mary Kizito of the Diocese of Aliwal in South Africa.
The Vatican Press Office confirmed and published the appointment, and the news was formally communicated to both the United States and the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux by Christophe Cardinal Pierre, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States and former Vatican representative to Uganda.
Reacting to the announcement, Bishop-elect Engurait expressed deep humility and gratitude.
“I did not expect this. I am humbled beyond words that the Holy Father has chosen me, not from outside, but from among the ranks of the priests of this beloved Diocese,” he said, as reported by WWL Louisiana.
“I give thanks to God for the gift of life, for the call to the priesthood, and now for this new and sacred calling to the apostolic ministry. Everything I am and all that I hope to be is by His grace.”
Born on August 28, 1971, in Ngora in eastern Uganda, Bishop-elect Engurait began his religious formation at Saint Peter Minor Seminary in Soroti and later at Saint Peter’s College in Tororo.
He earned a degree in political science and public administration from Makerere University and later obtained a master’s in business administration from the Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands.
After moving to the United States, he studied theology at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, where he completed a Master of Divinity.
He was ordained a priest in 2013 for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. He speaks English, Ateso, Kiswahili, and Spanish.
Since his ordination, he has served in several roles including parish vicar, parish priest of Saint Bridget since 2017, moderator of the Curia, vicar general, and most recently as diocesan administrator following the departure of the previous bishop.
His appointment is a significant moment for both the local diocese and the Catholic Church in Uganda. It highlights the growing international presence and contribution of Ugandan clergy.
Uganda has become an important source of missionary priests and religious, with many now serving in dioceses across Africa, Europe, North America, and other parts of the world.
As vocations decline in many regions, Uganda’s flourishing Catholic community is playing a vital role in global evangelization.
This shift reflects a powerful transformation in the missionary landscape. Where Uganda once received missionaries from abroad, it now sends its own clergy to offer spiritual leadership and pastoral care to the wider Church.
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