“Be an authentic pastor”: Nuncio to Pioneer Bishop of Newly Erected Guinean Diocese

The Vatican diplomat urged the new Bishop to establish a good relationship with his priests who he described as the Bishop’s “closest collaborators.”

“Love your Priests and be close to them. Take care of them like a good father takes care of his children with love. Visit them regularly, share their concerns, difficulties, their joys and sorrows,” Archbishop Emien said.

On June 29, Pope Francis erected the Catholic Diocese of Guéckédou as a new Episcopal See in Guinea and appointed Bishop Tambai as its pioneer Bishop.

The Guinea Bishop was born in June 1967 in Koniandou, Guéckédou Prefecture, the new Diocese.

In his November 12 homily, Archbishop Emien urged Priests of the Catholic Diocese of Guéckédou to be promoters of a frank and cordial relationship with their Bishop.

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He urged the priests to foster a relationship of sincere confidence, friendship and prayer, adding, “Love, respect, listen and support your Bishop. Don't be destroyers of the pastoral plan he has for the Diocese. You are the foundation of the pastoral development of this new Diocese.”

To the people of God in Guéckédou, the Malian-born diplomat said, “Bishop Tamba was chosen by Pope Francis to be your shepherd and legitimate pastor so as to guide you in the name of Christ to the Kingdom of God.”

“Receive your Bishop like a Father to love, a teacher to listen to, and a guardian to be honored,” the Apostolic Nuncio said.

In his maiden speech as Bishop, the Local Ordinary of Guéckédou Diocese expressed appreciation to Pope Francis for appointing him Bishop of Guéckédou, and appealed for the support of the Diocese in executing his mandate.

“Conscious of my weaknesses and limitations, I want to accomplish this new mission with the help of the Holy Spirit and my brother Bishops, members of the Clergy, women and men Religious, as well as the Laity,” Bishop Tamba said.

He added, “With help of all stakeholders in this Diocese, we shall strive to face challenges knocking at our doors and we have the means to succeed.”

“Let us walk together, put our efforts together to make our Diocese a model of the Christian family where love, communion, joy and peace are lived,” Bishop Tamba said.

The new Bishop is to oversee the newly erected Diocese, which has 17 parishes, 30 Diocesan Priests, and nine religious Priests.

The newly erected Diocese that is a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Conakry borders the Diocese of Kankan to the North, the Diocese of Kenema (Sierra Leone) to the West, the Diocese of Gbarnga (Liberia) to the South, and the Diocese of N'Zérékoré to the East.

Guéckédou Diocese measures 35,476 square kilometers and has a population of 1,285,308 of which 62,509 are Catholics representing 4.86 percent of the total population, according to the Holy See report.

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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.