Bishop-elect Jean Bosco Ntagungira was previously the High Priest of Regina Pacis Parish in the Archdiocese of Kigali. Born on April 3, 1964, he studied at Rutongo Minor Seminary before continuing in Nyakibanda.

He was ordained to the priesthood on August 1, 1993 in the Archdiocese of Kigali. In an exclusive interview with IGIHE we thank this news, Bishop Ntagungira expressed that he accepted the appointment as the Bishop of Diocese of Butare, the work of the Church court he was leading and that he understands the various issues that are being discussed around the world in the Catholic Church.

He expressed that he was happy with the role he had been chosen by Pope Francis and that he accepted it because it was an electoral role. He said, “You enjoy it but you react with fear and anxiety because it would be a mistake to say I can, I will be able to do it. That is, if the Lord has chosen me, the bishops, priests, Christians of the diocese who have been chosen to lead, we will all be together. That’s what gives me confidence when I’m worried."

Bishop Ntagungira pointed out that the Christians of the Diocese of Butare have been given the leadership to do many things but all of them are based on cooperation in the Christian journey and the journey of development.

He said, “It is to give them time to talk about how they feel their church should do. This is important for Christians, priests and other partners of the diocese. It is important to take the time to listen to them, to understand together because the bishop is not someone else’s decision.”

He expressed that he is happy that he is going to work under Bishop Philippe Rukamba but that he hopes that he will fulfill these responsibilities even more because they are still with him. He became the President of the Church Court.

Bishop Ntagungira has done different jobs because after becoming a priest, he was the Director of Studies at the Minor Seminary of Ndera from 1993 to 1994.

He was Director of Missions in the Archdiocese of Kigali from 2001 to 2002 before becoming Director of St. Vincent Minor Seminary of Ndera, where he stayed for 16 years.
He was in the leadership of the Church Court, Kigali Chamber since 2002.

Bishop Ntangungira pointed out that the court takes different decisions whether it is on priests who have been found guilty of misconduct or other decisions related to Catholic Christians. There are courts that follow the ordinary things of a priest or a Christian who has done something wrong, and they are investigated and judged and punished."

He pointed out that this court can also take a decision to annul the sacrament of marriage between the spouses due to certain reasons. He said, “We understand that people are separated and separated by something very important, then the court goes there and looks at it, and says that the marriage should not have happened. These people would not get married if they found out about this situation.”

He pointed out that this is based on the fact that people may be in front of people who are married but in their hearts they are not married due to various reasons. Ntagungira said that although it is different from the divorces given in ordinary courts, it also confirms that the couple should not have been married for different reasons.

He said, “At that time we say that these people are not supposed to get married, their sacrament is not fair. Then we tell everyone who is not wrong to go and find a new one”
Seeking wives for priests and homosexuals in the Church.

These days there is a movement to pray for priests to marry women, especially in countries where monks are still reducing, such as in Europe and Latin America. Bishop Ntagungira said that it is a matter that should be understood clearly, because those who go into the priesthood know very well that marrying a woman is not allowed.

He said, "You go in knowing that you are determined not to marry, for no other reason than that we have to be the supernatural parents of many not to be attached to only one family."
He pointed out that while the priest stops being a priest, he would not be judged by anyone, but people should be close to him.

He also discussed the issue of homosexuals in Catholic who are asking to be allowed to receive the sacraments. Pope Francis recently allowed them to be blessed by priest. Ntagungira said that homosexuals are not allowed to live as a family in the Catholic Church, as the family of a woman and a man is accepted.

He said, "You wouldn’t consider homosexuals as a family, then they would be stopping human being because they don’t fulfill the responsibility of God who told Adam and Eve to go and fill the Earth." So these things are not true.

He said that one who would be blessed as a child of God can be done by listening to them, and teaching them about what the church says, what the word of God says without cutting them aside so that they also know where they stand that they are in the wrong.

Bishop Ntagungira thanked the Christians of the Regina Pacis Parish he led and assured the Diocese of Butare where he is going to work well and encourage cooperation.