Brief Historical Background
The first idea and initiative for a seminary in Gulu jurisdiction go back to the Very Reverend Monsignor Antonio Vignato (1923-1933) from the moment he took possession of newly created autonomous circumscription/Ecclesiastical Territory under the See of Gulu on 12th June, 1923. The present minor Seminary had its humble beginning in 1920s at the place where the catechists’ Training Centre is. It was moved to the current site was in 1938.
Since the establishment of this ecclesiastical formation house, vocations to priesthood continue to grow in big numbers. Hundreds of young men entered and received intellectual, spiritual, moral and human formation in Lacor seminary. A good number of them persevered and made to the priesthood while those who could not make it are now active in the Church and society serving as committed lay Christian men in leadership positions.
For many years since its foundation, Sacred Heart Seminary Lacor formed priests for the whole northern Uganda which comprises the dioceses of Gulu, Arua, Lira, Moroto, Kotido, Nebbi, and Southern Sudan diocese until in the early 1970s when these dioceses built their own minor seminaries and the idea of National Seminaries began to be promoted by the Bishops.
Sacred Heart minor Seminary is now mainly for candidates of the Archdiocese of Gulu, although it continues to receive candidates from other ecclesiastical jurisdictions. We have received candidates from different dioceses: Lira, Arua, Nebbi, Hoima, Tororo, Kampala, Kotido and also from Torit in South Sudan.
Sacred Heart Seminary Lacor duly registered with the Ministry of Education and Sports of Uganda Government with name “LACOR SEMINARY”; Registration Number U44DDC issued on 22/02/1965, Examination Centre Number U0162.
Enrolment
Though Lacor Seminary has the capacity to accommodate three hundred seminarians, for the period under review, it has been functioning at barely fifty percent (50%) of that capacity. It may be noted that the percentage that reached the priesthood is still low.
| Year |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
| Enrolment |
195 |
175 |
224 |
199 |
198 |
208 |
200 |
165 |
Rectors of Lacor Seminary
| 1. Rev. Fr. Giuseppe Volpetti |
1970 – 1971 |
| 2. Rev. Fr. Geoffrey Kerwin |
1973- 1973 |
| 3. Rev. Fr. Sabino Anyanzo |
1973 – 1974 |
| 4. Rev. Fr. Celestino A.A. Odongo |
1974 – 1986 |
| 5. Rev. Fr. Gaudensio Langol |
1987 – 1988 |
| 6. Rev. Fr. Zachomino Okumu |
1989 – 1990 |
| 7. Rev. Msgr. Matthew Odong |
1990 – 2025 |
| 8. Rev. Msgr. Martin Agwee |
2025- |