Martyrs Days Celebrations of 3 june 2007

The Catholic faith infiltrated Northern Uganda through the work of one of the Verona Fathers; Bishop Daniel Comboni who became the Apostolic Vicar of Khartoum in the Vicariate of Central Africa (in December 1877).After his death in 1881, the Combonimissionaries continued with the work under Bishop Xavier Francis Geyer moving southwards from Bahrel Ghazal through Gondokoro, Nimule until they arrived in Pakwach on the 2nd February 1910. At Nimule on the Uganda-Sudan boarders, they were not allowed to enter Uganda as they could not produce an entry permit except a recommendation from the Governor General of Sudan.

The Catholic Diocese of Nebbi was erected by Pope John Paul II on 25th February, 1996 under the patronage of Immaculate Heart of Mary. Its first ordinary was the Rt. Rev. John Baptist Odama, who received his Episcopal Ordination on 26th May 1996. He worked in Nebbi diocese until 1999 when he became the first Archbishop in the Ecclesiastical Province of Gulu Archdiocese. This province covers the dioceses of Gulu Archdiocese, Nebbi, Arua and Lira.  Nebbi Catholic Diocese was curved from the whole of the West Nile Region. Geographically, Nebbi Catholic Diocese covers a total land area of 5098 square kilometers in the then districts of Nebbi, Zombo, and some parts of Arua such as Rhinocamp, MadiOkolo and Rigbo.