Advertisement

Auxiliary Bishop of Umuahia Diocese Set to Shepherd the Nigerian Catholic Diocese

Bishop Michael Kalu Ukpong, appointed Bishop of Nigeria’s Umuahia Diocese on 1 November 2022. Credit: Courtesy Photo
Silas Isenjia

By Silas Isenjia

Umuahia, 01 November, 2022 / 9:00 pm (ACI Africa).

Bishop Michael Kalu Ukpong, the Auxiliary Bishop of Umuahia Diocese in Nigeria since July 2020, is set to shepherd the Nigerian Catholic Diocese.

Pope Francis’ appointment of Bishop Kalu was made public on Tuesday, November 1 by the Holy See Press Office.

The Catholic Diocese of Umuahia has been vacant since March 2022 when the then Local Ordinary, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, was transferred to Nigeria’s Owerri Archdiocese. Archbishop Ugorji had been at the helm of Umuahia Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in July 1990.

Born in December 1964 in Umuahia Diocese, Bishop Kalu was ordained a Priest for the same Episcopal See in August 1993. 

The alumnus of the Wisdom Major Seminary in Owerri and the St. Joseph Major Seminary in Ikot Ekpene studied Canon Law at the Klaus-Mörsdorf-Institut für Kanonistik of the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität in Munich, Germany, and has a Doctorate in Theology from the Universität von Regensburg in Regensburg.

Advertisement

As a Priest, Bishop Kalu served in various capacities, including Parish Vicar of St. Finbarr's in Umuahia, Secretary of the Bishop of Umuahia, Parish Priest of St. John's and Editor of the Lumen Newspaper of the Diocese of Umuahia.

Once he is installed as Local Ordinary of Umuahia, Bishop Akalu who was assigned the Titular See of Igilgili will oversee the Nigerian Diocese that has a population of 251,053 Catholics, according to 2020 statistics. 

Erected in June 1958, the 2,460 square-kilometer Catholic Diocese of Umuahia is part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Owerri.

Silas Isenjia

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.

Trending

You may also like

The Vatican and Microsoft have created a 3D digital model of St. Peter’s Basilica using the latest in artificial intelligence to offer a new way to experience the nearly 2,000-year history of the tomb of St. Peter. / Credit: Microsoft La Basilica Di San Pietro: AI-Enhanced Experience

Discover the History of St. Peter’s Basilica in New Microsoft Oline AI-enhanced 3D Model

Accessible worldwide at virtual.basilicasanpietro.va, the free interactive platform allows anyone in the world to “visit” the virtual 3D model of...

An external view of the Chapel of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem during the procession of the Franciscan friars after the first vespers of the Ascension solemnity on May 8, 2024. The procession circled the chapel three times. / Credit: Marinella Bandini

Catholics Ascend to Mount Olives, Site of Jesus’ Ascension, Only Day They Can Use Chapel Currently Under Muslim Control

“I’m excited to have come to pray in the actual place of the Ascension... I want to be closer to...

Pope Francis arriving at the meeting with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and catechists in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Dili, East Timor, Sept. 10, 2024. / Vatican Media

Catholics in East Timor Welcome Pope Francis to their Island "oasis" of Religious Vocations

Speaking in Dili's cathedral, Pope Francis challenged East Timor's Catholic leaders to renew evangelization efforts, declaring that the nation's position...