Missionaries of Africa
Hoima
Uganda

15 December 2007
Handing over of Construction Department, Hoima Diocese

Bishop Emeritus Dr. Albert Edward Baharagate, Fr. Heinz-Joseph Schäckel and priests from Hoima Diocese at the Mass on the occasion of the Handing over of the Construction Department

The Construction Department of Hoima Diocese, Uganda, was started by the late Brother Max Gmuer in 1972 as 'because of the political situation a new need arose for the Church to put up certain infrastructures for the material development within the Church esp. for the construction of new buildings. So we set up our own workshops, such as carpentry and mechanical workshops, and a building/construction department to put up buildings within the Diocese. Later followed a Brick Factory and Administration Department.

Prominent among the building projects were the renovation of the Cathedral of Hoima, Lourdel House Chapel, Kolping Houses in Hoima and Kampala, Lavigerie Seminary in Jinja, St. Simon Peter's Vocational Training Centre, not to mention the many fathers' houses and numerous churches, even sisters' convents and schools.

from Handing over ceremony at Hoima

Brother Max Gmuer was asked in 1992 to start a similar project in Mozambique and Fr. Heinz-Joseph Schäckel was then asked to take over the Construction Department of Hoima Diocese. He has successfully continued the development of the department for the part sixteen years. During these many years Hoima Construction Department has realised many achievements: being exposed countrywide and even targetting international status because of high quality products.

The Construction Department of Hoima Diocese is widely known all over the country and is engaged in many building and construction projects at this particular time.

Fr. Heinz-Josef Schäckel, the outgoing Adminstrator of the Construction Department,
and Fr. Birija Rogers, new Administration at the Handing over Cerememony, on
15th December 2007.

Time was also ripe to think of a handing - over the Administration of the Department to a very well qualified priest of Hoima Diocese in the person of Rev. Fr. Birija Rogers. This ceremony coincided with the end of the year party in the grounds of Hoima Kolping House. With this ceremony also an era of Missionary of Africa - White Father history came to a successful completion. With Heinz the last White Father left the Diocese (apart from Fr. Jean LeVacher who is chaplain to a Convent and School, mainly catering for Sudanese refugees).

Hoima is on the right side of the lac Albert

Rudi Lehnertz M.Afr.