Pope Francis Appoints Two New Bishops for Dioceses in DR Congo

The holder of a Licentiate and Doctorate in Philosophy also served as Rector of the St. André Kaggwa Major Seminary and professor at the Catholic University of Congo (UCC).

Outside the Central African nation, Mons. Bope served as fidei donum missionary in the Central African Republic (CAR) and Parish Priest in the Archdiocese of Bangui.

Once ordained Bishop, he will oversee the 77,000 square-kilometer Catholic Diocese that was erected in February 1959, with a population of 200,247 Catholics according to 2020 statistics.

In the latest Papal appointments, the Holy Father also appointed Bishop Mons. Muzinga the new Local Ordinary of the Congolese Catholic Diocese of Kamina that is in the Ecclesiastical Province of Lubumbashi.

The Congolese Episcopal See has been vacant since December 2020 when Bishop Jean-Anatole Kalala Kaseba retired.

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Archbishop Fulgence Muteba Mugalu of Lubumbashi Archdiocese has been serving as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese since then. 

Born in March 1970 in Kalemie, Mons. Muzinga was ordained a Priest for the Archdiocese of  Lubumbashi in July 2005.

The Congolese Cleric who is expected to become the fifth Bishop of Kamina Diocese has previously served as Parish vicar of St. Joseph and director of the Institut Technique Saint François Xavier in Likasi.

The Bishop-elect also served as head of youth pastoral care in the Likasi sector, Parish Priest of St. Paul Parish of Lubumbashi Archdiocese, chaplain and referent for Sisters of the Bakhita Family, and episcopal vicar for diocesan works in Lubumbashi 

Since 2023, he has been a member of the diocesan Board for Economic Affairs.

Once ordained Bishop, Mons. Muzinga is expected to oversee the  73,479 square-kilometer Catholic Diocese that was erected in February 1959, with a population of 513,000 Catholics according to 2021 statistics.

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.