(13 July 1846 - 12 November 1922) was a Catholic priest who established the church in what is modern Uganda and became head of the White Fathers (Society of the Missionaries of Africa).

Léon Livinhac was born on 13 July 1846 in the parish of Buzeins in the Aveyron department of the south of France, one of three children of a farmer.

He entered the Sulpician major seminary of Rodez in October 1867, received the tonsure in May 1869, minor orders in June 1870 and was ordained to the diaconate in May 1872.

Although he had not completed his novitiate, he was immediately appointed vice-rector, bursar and professor of dogmatic theology of the White Fathers' major seminary, the scholasticate.

[1] The missionaries had to act with great care, since the French colonial authorities were deeply suspicious of proselytizing activity that could disturb the peace.

[4] Conditions in Buganda were unsettled due to the presence of Arabs from the north and European colonists pushing in from the east coast.

[1] Livinhac reached the Bugandan capital in May 1886, at a time when forty Christian converts had been imprisoned by the king under sentence of death but not yet killed.

[1] Livinhac attended the Anti-Slavery Congress in Paris in September 1890, then visited the Vatican, accompanied by fourteen Baganda who had come with him to France.

[5] As superior of the society, Livinhac based himself in the complex of buildings at Maison-Carrée that the missionaries called the Mother House (Maison-Mère).

Livinhac defined a constitution for the society, wrote many circulars giving direction to the missionaries, and sponsored publication of several magazines.

[8] He was always completely loyal to Lavigerie, whom he came close to venerating, and remained true to the principles and objectives of the founder of the society throughout his long administration.