John Baptist Bashobora

Contents

John Baptist Rubara Bashobora,[1] STD (born 5 December 1946) is a Ugandan Catholic priest, a doctor of spiritual theology, and founder of educational centers for children and youth.

Biography

John Baptist Bashobora was born into a Catholic family in Bushenyi, Uganda on December 5, 1946. As a child, he was orphaned by his father, who was poisoned by his aunt. His mother was expelled. He was raised by his uncle's family until he reached adulthood. Bashobora learned that they were not his real parents only on the day of his ordination, at the age of 26.

Surviving poison

At the age of 10, he entered a minor seminary; however, initially, he did not feel, as he himself repeatedly confessed, a priestly vocation. Being the son of a polygamist, he was unable to participate in preparation for the priesthood, as the sons of polygamists were not allowed to receive holy orders.[2] After graduating from the minor seminary, where he met two charismatic priests from Canada, he decided to join the Congregation of the Holy Cross. He traveled to India to do so. However, he did not take religious vows and returned to Uganda. As a diocesan seminarian, he was ordained a priest in 1972. His superiors sent him to Rome for further studies. He earned his doctorate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, writing a thesis on the discernment of spirits in the life of Ugandan Christians.[1] Bashobora is also a psychologist by profession.[3] While in Rome, he became involved with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Upon returning to his home diocese, he founded two primary schools, two secondary schools, and two orphanages, which cared for 5,000 orphans. He was the diocesan coordinator of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the Archdiocese of Mbarara and a member of the National Association of Intercessory Prayer. He also served as a diocesan exorcist. He was a lecturer at the Kinyamaskia National Major Seminary.[2]

As a retreat leader

Bashobora is a world-famous retreat leader and leader of charismatic prayer meetings.[4] Since 2007, he led numerous retreats for organized groups in Poland. One of the largest retreats organized by Bashobora was the meeting at the National Stadium in Warsaw on July 6, 2013, attended by nearly 60,000 people.[5][6]

In June 2012, Bashobora and his companions luckily survived an accident in Zembrzyce, Poland on the route from Sucha Beskidzka to Wadowice.[7]

Father Bashobora is one of the main figures portrayed in the 2008 Polish documentary film Duch by Maciej Bodasiński and Lech Dokowicz.[8][9]

Selected publications

A number of Father Bashobora's teachings have been published in Polish in book form by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood Publishing House:

  • Jesteś obrazem Boga[10]
  • Jesteśmy ambasadorami Boga na ziemi[11]
  • Uwierz Bogu sercem[12]
  • Jesteś posłany przez Boga[13]
  • Trwaj w relacji z Bogiem[14]
  • Zaufaj miłosierdziu Boga[15]
  • W małżeństwie doświadczajcie miłości Boga[16]

References

  1. 1.[1.2]"The discernment of spirits in the life of Ugandan christians". worldcat.org. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  2. 2.[2.2]"O. John Bashobora". ojciecjohnbashobora.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  3. 3.Turek, Łukasz (21 August 2016). "O różnicy między Ks. Johnem Bashobora a uzdrawiaczem". fronda.pl (Interview) (in Polish). Interviewed by Maria Patynowska. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  4. 4.Natalia Podosek (6 July 2013). "O. John Bashobora – kapłan Jezusa i cierpiących". fronda.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  5. 5."W Polsce". ojciecjohnbashobora.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  6. 6.Ekipa JNS (4 July 2013). "JezusNaStadionie.pl – informacja prasowa dla mediów". jezusnastadionie.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 7 July 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  7. 7."Poważna kraksa na krajówce. Sześć osób rannych, dwie nie żyją". mamnewsa.pl (in Polish). 26 June 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  8. 8."Film „Duch"". egzorcyzmy.katolik.pl (in Polish). 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  9. 9."Duch". filmpolski.pl (in Polish). Łódź Film School. 8 May 2026. Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  10. 10.Jesteś obrazem Boga: treści konferencji wygłoszonych podczas rekolekcji w Polsce w roku 2011 (in Polish). Częstochowa: Wydawnictwo Misjonarzy Krwi Chrystusa. 2012. ISBN 978-83-7256-971-4.
  11. 11.Jesteśmy ambasadorami Boga na ziemi: treści konferencji wygłoszonych podczas rekolekcji w Polsce w roku 2012 (in Polish). Częstochowa: Wydawnictwo Misjonarzy Krwi Chrystusa. 2013. ISBN 978-83-63459-12-3.
  12. 12.Uwierz Bogu sercem: treść konferencji wygłoszonych podczas rekolekcji w Polsce w roku 2013 wraz z listem Benedykta XVI „Porta Fidei” otwierającym Rok Wiary (in Polish). Częstochowa: Wydawnictwo Misjonarzy Krwi Chrystusa. 2014. ISBN 978-83-63459-21-5.
  13. 13.Jesteś posłany przez Boga: treści konferencji wygłoszonych podczas rekolekcji w Polsce w roku 2014 (in Polish). Częstochowa: Wydawnictwo Misjonarzy Krwi Chrystusa. 2015. ISBN 978-83-63459-43-7.
  14. 14.Trwaj w relacji z Bogiem: treści konferencji wygłoszonych podczas rekolekcji w Polsce w roku 2015 (in Polish). Częstochowa: Wydawnictwo Misjonarzy Krwi Chrystusa. 2016. ISBN 978-83-63459-55-0.
  15. 15.Zaufaj miłosierdziu Boga: treści konferencji wygłoszonych podczas rekolekcji w Polsce w roku 2016 (in Polish). Częstochowa: Wydawnictwo Misjonarzy Krwi Chrystusa. 2017. ISBN 978-83-63459-79-6.
  16. 16.W małżeństwie doświadczajcie miłości Boga: treści konferencji wygłoszonych w Polsce podczas rekolekcji dla małżeństw (in Polish). Częstochowa: Wydawnictwo Misjonarzy Krwi Chrystusa. 2024. ISBN 978-83-7256-095-7.