Vincent Billington


Vincent Billington, MHM, was an English Roman Catholic priest who served as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jinja, in Uganda, from 13 May 1948 until 3 May 1965.

Background and priesthood

Billington was born on 14 May 1904, in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salford, in the United Kingdom.
He was ordained priest on 20 July 1930, taking the vows of the Saint Joseph's Missionary Society of Mill Hill. He served in that capacity until 13 May 1948.

As bishop

He was appointed bishop on 13 May 1948 by Pope Pius XII and was consecrated as Vicar Apostolic of Kampala, Uganda and Titular Bishop of Avissa on 26 July 1948 by Archbishop William Godfrey†, Titular Archbishop of Cius, assisted by Bishop Thomas Edward Flynn†, Bishop of Lancaster, England, and Bishop Frederick Hall†, Titular Bishop of Alba Maritima.
In 1953, when the Vicariate Apostolic of Kampala was elevated to the Diocese of Kampala, Bishop Billington was appointed the new Bishop of the Diocese of Kampala on 25 March 1953. On 3 May 1965, he resigned as Bishop of Kampala and was appointed that same day as Titular Bishop of Fallaba. He resigned from there on 7 December 1970.
In 1953, the Diocese of Kampala was renamed the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jinja. Bishop Billington died on 6 October 1976, as Bishop Emeritus of Kampala Diocese, at the age of 72 years and 3 months.

Succession table at Jinja