Bishop in Guinea Who Succumbed to Long Illness Remembered as “model for Clergy”

In a Wednesday, March 3 interview with ACI Africa, Caritas Guinea Programmes Director, Siba Alexis Dopavogui, said that the people of God in the country would live to remember the late Bishop’s endearing service in the country.

“The Church is mourning a son for his family, a Father for his faithful, a Bishop for his rank, a Pastor to proclaim the gospel, a servant for his Lord, a Shepherd to guide the flock,” Mr. Dopavogui said, adding, “These are the names that characterized His Excellency Emmanuel Félémou, Bishop of the Diocese of Kankan. And this is how we choose to remember him.”

The Caritas official continued, “We are mourning a visionary leader for the new church, a builder for the people of Israel, a model for the clergy and a man among many other men.”

In his tribute to the late Bishop who he said had supported Caritas activities in the country, Mr. Dopavogui said, “The Lord said, be faithful until you die and I will give you the crown of life. The hour has come to keep your promise, Lord; the time to say goodbye; the hour to welcome your servant. Finally, the hour of reunion!”

“God gave, God took back, praise for ages and ages… Amen! Sleep in peace Great Priest,” he said

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The late Bishop was born in Guinea’s Diocese of N'Zérékoré, which is located in the Ecclesiastical Province of Conakry.

In 1989, aged 28, he was ordained a Priest of the Diocese of N'Zérékoré and in 2007, ordained a Bishop of Guinea’s Kankan Diocese.

In their announcement of the death of Bishop Félémou, Catholic Bishops in Guinea said that details concerning funeral arrangements and the burial of their late brother Bishop would be communicated later.

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.