Diocese of

Arua

Uganda

Continent: Eastern and Central Africa

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Arua / Aruaën(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Gulu

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady Mediatrix of all Graces

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1958.06.23: Established as Diocese of Arua / Aruaën(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Gulu and became suffragan of Rubaga)
1966.08.05: Became suffragan of Kampala
1996.02.23: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Nebbi
1999.01.02: Became suffragan of Gulu

Present Prelates

Bishop (2010.10.20 – ...):

Bishop Sabino Ocan Odoki (67)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Arua (Roman Rite)

Bishop Sabino Ocan Odoki (67)
(2010.10.20 – ...)

Bishop of Arua (Uganda)

In caritate Christi fundati

Born:	1957.08.08 (Layibi, Uganda)
Ordained Priest:	1983.09.10
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.10.21

Priest of Gulu (Uganda) (1983.09.10 – 2006.07.22)

Titular Bishop of Sabrata (2006.07.22 – 2010.10.20)

Auxiliary Bishop of Gulu (Uganda) (2006.07.22 – 2010.10.20)

Apostolic Administrator of Arua (Uganda) (2009.09 – 2010.10.20)

Bishop of Arua (Uganda) (2010.10.20 – ...)

Bishop Sabino Ocan Odoki (67)
(Apostolic Administrator 2009.09 – 2010.10.20)

Bishop Frederick Drandua
(1986.05.27 – 2009.08.19)

Born:	1943.08.12 (Uganda)
Ordained Priest:	1970.08.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1986.08.15
Died:	2016.09.01 († 73)

Bishop of Arua (Uganda) (1986.05.27 – 2009.08.19)

Bishop Angelo Tarantino, M.C.C.J.
(1959.02.12 – 1984)

Born:	1908.04.08 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1932.03.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1959.05.01
Died:	1990.04.15 († 82)

Bishop of Arua (Uganda) (1959.02.12 – 1984)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Arua, Arua, Northern
Minor Basilica: Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Lodonga, Yumbe, Northern

Mahagi–Nioka (↙), Yei (↑), Juba (↗), Gulu (→), Nebbi (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 10,562 km²

Population: 2,399,103 Catholics (69.4% of 3,458,797 total)

Pastoral Centres: 60 parishes

Personnel: 163 priests (117 diocesan, 46 religious), 258 religious (81 brothers, 177 sisters), 65 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.04.02

© 2025 GCatholic.org