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Pope Francis Appoints Rector of Catholic Major Seminary Bishop for Byumba Diocese, Rwanda

Mons. Papias Musengamana, appointed Bishop of Rwanda's Catholic Diocese of Byumba by Pope Francis on 28 February 2022. Credit: Fr. Norbert Ngabonziza

Pope Francis has appointed Mons. Papias Musengamana who has been serving as the Rector of St. Charles of Borromeo Major Seminary, Nyakibanda, as the Bishop for the Catholic Diocese of Byumba.

In the latest administrative changes published by the Holy See Press Office Monday, February 28, the Holy Father accepted the retirement of Bishop Servilien Nzakamwita.

Bishop Nzakamwita who will turn 79 on April 20 has been at the helm of the Rwandan Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in June 1996. 

The Bishop-elect is a member of the Clergy of Rwanda’s Kabgayi Diocese where he was born in August 1967.

Since his Priestly Ordination in May 1997, Mons. Musengamana served in various positions including Vicar General of Kabgayi Diocese, Secretary to the Bishop of Kabgayi Diocese, Parish Vicar, and Diocesan Bursar, among others. 

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The holder of a Doctorate in Biblical Theology from the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg in Germany also studied at the Catholic University of Central Africa, Yaoundé, in Cameroon where he obtained a Licentiate in Biblical Theology.

Mons. Musengamana is expected to serve as the third Bishop of the Rwandan Diocese that was erected in November 1981.

The Catholic Diocese of Byumba that is part of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Kigali has a population of 775,106 Catholics, according to 2020 statistics

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.