Rome, 23rd April 2019
Resignation of the Bishop of Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo) and appointment of his successor
The Holy Father Francis accepted the resignation from the pastoral government of the diocese of Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo), presented by H.E. Mons. Théophile Kaboy Ruboneka.
The Pope appointed Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, M. Afr., until now Bishop of Kindu, Bishop of the same diocese.
Official Bulletin of the Vatican
To know more, visit the website of Zenit. The article is in French. Please accept this rough translation:
Strengthen youth movements and work with schools
APRIL 23, 2019 12:26 ANITA BOURDIN NOMINATIONS
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pope Francis appointed Most Reverend Willy Ngumbi Ngengele, 54, Missionary of Africa (White Fathers), as Bishop of Goma. Since 2007, he had been bishop of Kindu, in the east of the DRC.
He succeeds Bishop Théophile Kaboy Ruboneka, 78, whose resignation has been accepted by the Pope as having reached the canonical age limit: at 75, the Bishops submit their resignation to the Pope.
Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele participated in the Youth Synod in October 2018 in Rome: in his former diocese of Kindu 51% of the population is made up of young people. He then spoke about his concern for young people on Vatican Radio.
In particular, he said he wanted to “strengthen and revitalize” youth movements and work with schools. “We will work on education and return to Christian values, ethics, in order to enable the young people of the diocese to become artisans of their future, actors in the Church, and missionaries to other young people. We will also encourage exchanges between young people in the city and those in the villages.”
He also wanted young people to be trained in “discernment” with regard to everything they can find on social networks.
He also hoped for new priestly vocations “for the future of the Church”.