The Hoima Catholic Diocese Construction (HCDC) Department was started by the late Brother Max Gmuer (MAfr) in 1972 as, because of the political situation, a new need arose for the Church to put up certain infrastructures for the material development within the Church especially for the construction of new buildings. The diocese set up its own workshops, such as carpentry and mechanical workshops, and a building construction department to put up buildings within the Diocese. Later followed a Brick Factory and Administration Department.

Prominent among the building projects were the renovation of the Cathedral of Hoima, Lourdel House Chapel, Kolping Houses in Hoima and Kampala, Lavigerie Seminary in Jinja, St. Simon Peter’s Vocational Training Centre, not to mention the many fathers’ houses and numerous churches and sisters’ convents and schools.

Fr. Heinz-Josef Schäckel

Brother Max Gmuer was asked in 1992 to start a similar project in Mozambique and Fr. Heinz-Josef Schäckel was then asked to take over the Construction Department of Hoima Diocese. Fr. Heinz-Josef successfully managed and developed the department for sixteen years. A lot was achieved during his tenure at  the department  to the extent that it got to be widely known all over the country and engaged in many building and construction projects. Fr. Heinz-Josef handed over to a very well qualified priest of Hoima Diocese in the person of Rev. Fr. Birija Rogers.

The department is currently headed by Rev. Fr. John Baptist Ssebitosi.