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Pope Francis Transfers Bishop of Cameroon’s Yokadouma Diocese to Bafoussam Diocese

Bishop Paul Lontsié-Keuné, transferred from Cameroon’s Yokadouma Diocese to the Episcopal See of Bafoussam. Credit: Diocese of Bafoussam
Jude Atemanke

By Jude Atemanke

Bafoussam, 29 November, 2021 / 9:00 pm (ACI Africa).

Pope Francis has transferred the Catholic Bishop of Cameroon’s Yokadouma Diocese to the Episcopal See of Bafoussam.

The Papal transfer of Bishop Paul Lontsié-Keuné was made public Saturday, November 27 and published by the Holy See Press Office.

The Diocese of Bafoussam has been under the leadership of Msgr. Maurice Folong as Diocesan Administrator since his election earlier this year. Msgr. Folong became the caretaker of Bafoussam Diocese following the retirement of Bishop Dieudonné Watio.

Pope Francis accepted Bishop Watio’s retirement on March 19 after reaching the retirement age of 75. He had been at the helm of the Cameroonian Diocese since May 2011.

Bishop Lontsié-Keuné who has been transferred to Bafoussam Diocese has been the Local Ordinary of Yokadouma Diocese since July 2017 following his Episcopal Ordination.

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Born in August 1963 in Balatchi in Cameroon’s Bafoussam Diocese, Bishop Lontsié-Keuné was ordained a Priest in March 1991. He pursued his further studies in France where he obtained a degree in Sacramentary Liturgy at the Institut Catholique de Paris in 1998. 

Following his Priestly ordination, he served as assistant Parish Priest at Bangangté and Principal of St. John the Baptist College from 1998-2008.

He also served as Diocesan Secretary for Catholic Education, and Diocesan master of ceremonies. In 2008, he was appointed Rector of St. Augustin Inter-diocesan Seminary in Cameroon’s Maroua-Mokolo Diocese. Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Yokadouma on 25 April 2017 following the resignation of Bishop Eugeniusz Juretzko, a member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I).

Bishop Lontsié-Keuné is expected to oversee the pastoral care of an estimated 306,245 Catholics spread across 13,000 square kilometers, according to 2018 statistics.

Erected in February 1970 as a jurisdiction within the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Douala, the Diocese of Bafoussam is under the patronage of St. Joseph.

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Jude Atemanke

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.

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