Resignation of bishop of Tarawa and Nauru, Kiribati and Nauru, and appointment of successor
Resignation of bishop of Popokabaka, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and appointment of successor
Appointment of coadjutor of Taungngnu, Myanmar
Appointment of auxiliaries of the metropolitan archdiocese of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Resignation of bishop of Tarawa and Nauru, Kiribati and Nauru, and appointment of successor
The Holy Father Francis has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Tarawa and Nauru, Kiribati and Nauru, presented by Bishop Paul Eusebius Mea Kaiuea, M.S.C.
At the same time the Pope appointed as bishop of the diocese of Tarawa and Nauru, Kiribati and Nauru, the Reverend Msgr. Koru Tito, of the same clergy, currently vicar general of the same see.
Reverend Msgr. Koru Tito
The Reverend Msgr. Koru Tito was born on 30 September 1960 in Tabiteuea, in Kiribati, in the diocese of Tarawa and Nauru. He obtained a diploma in education for the University of the South Pacific in Fiji (1977-1979), and completed his studies in philosophy and theology at the Pacific Regional Seminary of Fiji (1981-1985). For a year he attended Saint Paul’s National Seminary, Kensington, Australia (1990-1991). He holds a doctorate in theology with a specialisation in spirituality from the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University in Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 20 June 1987 for the diocese of Tarawa and Nauru.
After ordination he held the following offices: parish priest in the Beru, Nikumanu and Onotoa Islands (1987-1989); assistant in Saint Andrew’s parish in South Clayton, Victoria, Australia (1990-1991); and parish priest in the Kuria, Aranuka and Abemanna Islands (1991-1993). From 1993 to 200 he carried out his studies for a licentiate and doctorate in theology, with specialisation in spirituality at the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University, Rome. He then served as lecturer at the Pacific Regional Seminary (2001-2008); collaborator in the parish cathedral of Tarawa and Nauru (2008-2010), and vicar general of the diocese of Tarawa and Nauru.
Resignation of bishop of Popokabaka, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and appointment of successor
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Popokabaka, Democratic Republic of the Congo, presented by Bishop Louis Nzala Kianza.
The Pope has appointed as bishop of the same see the Reverend Bernard Marie Fansaka Biniama, of the clergy of Kenge, currently resident formator at the Saint Augustin interdiocesan seminary of philosophy in Kalonda.
Reverend Bernard Marie Fansaka Biniama
The Reverend Bernard Marie Fansaka Biniama was born on 29 June 1959 in Misay, in the province of Bandundu, diocese of Kenge, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He carried out his secondary studies in the Saint Charles Lwanga minor seminary in Katende. From 1980 to 1983 he attended the faculty of philosophy at the Saint Augustin interdiocesan major seminary in Kalonda and the faculty of theology at the Saint Cyprien interdiocesan major seminary in Kikwit.
He was ordained a priest on 21 February 1988 for the diocese of Kenge. He taught in the minor seminary of Saint Charles Lwanga from 1981 to 1991. He then attended the Faculté Catholique de Kinshasa (now UCC – Universitè Catholique du Congo); in 1994 he obtained a licentiate in biblical theology.
From 1994 to 1998 he carried out his service as a teacher in the Saint Cyprien minor seminary in Kikwit.
From 1998 to 2001 he obtained a doctorate in biblica theology from the Université Catholique de Yaoundé, Cameroon; and from 2003 to 2016 he was parish priest of Notre Dame du Rosaire, in Bandundu-Ville.
In 2003 he founded the Centre des Etudes Ethnologiques et Sociologiques de Bandundu (CEESBA), in Bandundu-Ville, of which he is still director.
Since 2006 he has served as moderator of the diocesan clergy. In 2008 he became provincial secretary of the Political and Social Commission of the Episcopal Assembly of the Ecclesiastical Province of Kinshasa.
Appointment of coadjutor of Taungngnu, Myanmar
The Holy Father has appointed as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Taungngnu, Myanmar, the Reverend John Saw Gawdy, of the clergy of the same diocese, currently lecturer in the Saint John Vianney interdiocesan major seminary in Loikaw.
Reverend Msgr. John Saw Gawdy
The Reverend Msgr. John Saw Gawdy was born on 21 October 1955 in the village of Domapholi, in the parish of Leiktho, in Taungngnu. He belongs to the Kayan ethnic group, and the Gheba tribe. He comes from a Catholic family. He carried out his studies in philosophy and theology at the Saint John Vianney major seminary in Yangon. He was awarded a master’s degree in biblical theology from the Pontifical Josephinum College in Yonker, Ohio, United States of America.
He was ordained a priest on 9 April 1983 for the diocese of Taungngnu.
After priestly ordination he held the offices of director of the Centre of Catechists in Leiktho (1983-1984) and professor of philosophy at the Saint Joseph Major Seminary in Pyin Oo Lwin (1984-1990); he then carried out his studies in the United States from 1993 to 1997. He then served as parish priest of the Church of Leiktho (1993-1997); rector of the Saint Paul minor seminary (1997-2007); vicar general and parish priest of the Church of Leiktho (2007-2016); and since 2017, professor in the Saint John Vianney interdiocesan major seminary in Loikaw, and member of the college of consultors, the presbyteral, pastoral and financial boards, and the diocesan tribunal.
Appointment of auxiliaries of the metropolitan archdiocese of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliaries of the metropolitan archdiocese of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo:
The Reverend Msgr. Jean-Crispin Kimbeni Ki Kanda, of the clergy of the archdiocese of Kinshasa, currently official of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, and parish administrator of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo, Borgo Pineto, diocese of Civita Castellana, assigning him the titular see of Dragonara;
The Reverend Vincent Tshomba Shamba Kotsho, of the clergy of Kinshasa, currently parish priest of “Saint Albert le Grand”, diocesan chaplain of Justice and Peace, member of the presbyteral council, assigning him the titular see of Esco;
The Reverend Charles Ndaka Salabisala, of the clergy of Popokabaka, currently rector of the Major Theological Seminary of Kikwit, assigning him the titular see of Liberalia.
Reverend Msgr. Jean-Crispin Kimbeni Ki Kanda
The Reverend Msgr. Jean-Crispin Kimbeni Ki Kanda was born in Kinshasa on 22 October 1969. After his primary and secondary school studies, he entered the Saint Jean-Marie Vianney preparatory seminary, completing his studies in philosophy and theology respectively in the Saint-André Kaggwa and Saint Jean XXIII major seminaries. In 2011 he was awarded a master’s degree in bioethics from the Camillianum International Institute, Rome, affiliated to the Pontifical Lateran University, continuing his studies in the same Institute and then obtaining a doctorate in health pastoral theology in 2019.
He was ordained a priest on 30 May 1999 for the metropolitan archdiocese of Kinshasa.
After priestly ordination he first studied for a licentiate in philosophy and a professional teaching qualification at the Catholic University of the Congo (1999-2001); he then served as formator and lecturer at the Cardinal Malula preparatory seminary (1999-2002); deputy secretary and chancellor of the archdiocese of Kinshasa; vice-rector of the Notre-Dame de la Paix de Fatima Shrine (2001-2002); official at the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples (since 2002) and parish administrator of Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo, Borgo Pineto, diocese of Civita Castellana (since 2017).
Reverend Vincent Tshomba Shamba Kotsho
The Reverend Vincent Tshomba Shamba Kotsho was born on 22 January 1963 in Kinshasa, and carried out his studies in philosophy at the Saint Kaggwa major seminary (1981-1984) and in theology at the Saint Jean XXIII major seminary (1985-1989) in Kinshasa. He was ordained a priest on 1 August 1990 for the metropolitan archdiocese of Kinshasa.
Since priestly ordination he has held the following offices: parish vicar of Saint Augustin (1990-1994); parish vicar of Saint André (1994-1996); parish priest of Mama wa Bosawa (1996-2003); parish priest of Saint Frédéric (1996-1997); parish priest of Saint Marc and parish dean (2003-2008); parish priest of Saint Augustin and parish dean of Saint Gabriel (2008-2014); parish priest of Saint Joseph and parish dean (2014-2018); and parish priest of Saint Albert le Grand, diocesan chaplain of Justice and Peace, and member of the presbyteral council.
Reverend Charles Ndaka Salabisala
The Reverend Charles Ndaka Salabisala was born on 4 January 1973 in Popokabaka. After his primary and secondary school education in Kasongo (1979-1991), he entered the preparatory seminary of Popokabaka (1991-1992). He then studied philosophy in the Saint Augustin seminary in Kalonda, in the diocese of Kenge (1993-1996), and theology in the Saint-Cyprien Mbuka major seminary of Kikwit (1996-2000). He was ordained a priest on 9 September 2001 for the clergy of Popokabaka.
After ordination he held the offices of parish vicar of Saint Joseph in Imbela, Kwango (2001-2004); parish vicar of Saints Pierre e Paul in Kasongo (2004-2005); spiritual animator in the preparatory seminary of Popokabaka and at the same time chancellor and secretary to the bishop (2005-2010). From 2010 to 2017 he carried out his higher studies in Spain, where he was awarded a doctorate in dogmatic theology and a master’s degree in psychology at the University of Navarre-Pamplona; during his stay he provided pastoral service in various parishes of the diocese of Calahorra y La Calzada-Logroño. Since 2017 he has served as rector of the major seminary of Kikwit and dean of the faculty of theology of the Catholic University of Grand Bandundu.
