Italy-based Congolese Cleric Appointed Bishop of DR Congo’s Kindu Diocese

Kindu, 18 November, 2020 / 8:25 PM

Pope Francis has appointed Fr. François Abeli ​​Muhoya Mutchapa, who has been ministering at the Parishes of St. Maria and St. Mauro of Italy’s Tivoli Diocese, as the new Bishop of Kindu Diocese located in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Wednesday, November 18 appointment will see Fr. François return to his native country to replace 55-year-old Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, a member of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) who was been transferred to DRC’s Goma Diocese in 2019.

The 46-year-old Bishop-elect is a Clergy of Kindu Diocese in DRC. He was ordained a Priest in January 2002. He holds a licentiate and a doctorate in History and Cultural Heritage of the Church from the Rome-based Pontifical Gregorian University. 

In his 18 years of Priesthood, the Congolese Bishop-elect has served in various capacities in Kindu Diocese such as Parochial Vicar of the Holy Spirit Parish of Kindu (2002-2003); Director of the Diocesan Caritas of Kindu and formator at Our Lady of the Apostles Minor Seminary in Kindu (2002-2008).

He also served as Coordinator of Caritas-Développement-Kindu (2008-2009) and a member of the commission for economic affairs of the Diocese of Kindu (2009-2012).

The Diocese of Kindu was established as Apostolic Vicariate of Kindu from the Apostolic Vicariate of Kongolo and the Apostolic Vicariate of Stanley-ville in April 1956, before being elevated to a Diocese in November 1959.

Measuring 82,883 square kilometres and with a 32.9 percent Catholic population, according to 2017 statistics, the Diocese of Kindu is part of Ecclesiastical province of Bukavu in Eastern DRC.