Asked about the possible plans he foresees as Local Ordinary of the Diocese of Eseka, he said, “I am not a politician who has made a promise and is voted based on that promise.”
“I have no prior plans because it is not me who makes the plans; it is not me who is the author of the mission; it is God who is the author of the mission and through what He will tell me as I go along, I will discover what needs to be done and I will accomplish it,” the Bishop-elect clarified.
He continued, “I am a man of God who has received God's call and does what God asks of me. I am going to Eseka counting on the Holy Spirit to inspire me every day on what to do for the people of God so that the mission can be successful.”
The Bishop-elect holds a doctorate in Sacred Theology from Rome-based Pontifical Urban University obtained in 2000.
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In his 32 years of Priesthood, the Cameroonian Bishop-elect has served in various capacities in the Diocese of Edea including as Parish Priest, Parish Vicar, Vicar General and Rector of the Preparatory Seminary (2001-2004), and Rector of the Paul VI Provincial Major Seminary of Theology of Douala (2005-2011), among other responsibilities.
He also served as military chaplain in Edea from 2011-2015.
“To my dear Christians of the Sacred Heart Cathedral parish in Edea, please pray for me, pray for my mission, and never despair. God is the strongest and the greatest so always put your trust in him,” the Bishop-elect told ACI Africa November 14.
Addressing himself to the Priests, Seminarians, and Religious men and women in the Diocese of Eseka, Mgsr. Eyabi said, “As your new Bishop, I have simply received the fullness of the Priesthood but that does not separate us as confreres.”
“We have the same mission of evangelization, the same mission of sanctification, the same mission of governance, which each one of us tries to do so that the Church functions,” the Bishop-elect said, and continued, “It is this communion between us that the Church stands to benefit in order move forward.”
With a population of about 130,500 Catholics, according to 2017 statistics, Cameroon’s Eseka Diocese was established in March 1993. It is part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Douala.
Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.