ETHIOPIA: Newly Consecrated Apostolic Vicar of Harar asks for prayers for Christian communities in his Vicariate
Rt. Rev. Angelo Pagano, O.F.M. Cap. the newly consecrated Apostolic Vicar of Harar, Ethiopia has asked for prayers for members of the Christian Community in the Vicariate. Speaking during his consecration on May 29, 2016 at Diredawa St. Augustine Catholic Church, the Bishop who chose “Love one another” (Jn 15:12-17) as his Episcopal motto, asked the congregation present to support him in his ministry with prayer.
“I humbly ask you to pray for the Christian community in the Apostolic Vicariate of Harrar and for me so that God may give me a heart able to love and give consolation to his flock according to the feelings and will of Jesus the good shepherd,” he said.
led by the the Apostolic Nuncio of Ethiopia and
H.E. Cardinal Berhaneyesus of Addis Ababa
Bishop Pagano also took time to pray for recently deceased Bishop Yohannes Miglioratti of Hawassa as well as Bishop Angelo Moreschi, Apostolic Vicar of Gambella and Bishop Giorgio Bertini, Bishop of Djibouti and Apostolic Administrator of Somalia who are currently admitted in hospitals receiving medical attention.
Speaking at the same occasion Bishop Emeritus of Apostolic Vicariate of Harar Rt. Rev. Woldetinsae expressed his great joy for passing on the mantle to the new shepherd of Harar. “Today when I pass on my spiritual children all priests, religious women and men and all the faithful to Bishop Angelo, I consider him to be as lucky as I have been all these 29 years that I have worked with you in spreading and witnessing the Good News to the people,” he said.
Bishop Woldetinsae also recalled some of the challenges that were previously experienced in the Vicariate and appealed to the faithful to continue growing spiritually in prayer saying, “Together we have been through a lot, but with your prayers we have managed and endured the hardship and reached this stage; it is my wish that very soon we will grow even more and I hope to see that day while I am still alive.” Bishop Woldetinsae has served as the Apostolic Vicar of Harar since May 23, 1993.
Bishop Angelo Pagano prior to his appointment as Bishop was serving as a parish priest in the Diocese of Kumbo, Cameroon. He was born on January 15, 1954, in Asmara, Eritrea and ordained priest on June 25, 1988.
The new Bishop was welcomed to his Vicariate on May 28 at the Diredawa airport by His Eminence Cardinal Berhaneyesus, C.M., and H.E. Archbishop Luigi Bianco, Apostolic Nuncio to Ethiopia, together with the Catholic Bishops of Ethiopia, the Mayor of Diredawa city Administration, Catholic students of Diredawa and hundreds of Catholic faithful and people of good will.
The consecration ceremony was attended by 23 delegates from Cameroon including Archbishop Cornelius Fonteni Esua, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Bamenda and Bishop George Nkuo, Bishop of the Diocese of Kumbo, religious men and women and laity. Also in attendance was Rev. Fr. Peire Mark Desser from Djibouti/Somalia. Government officials and religious leaders extended their best wishes to the Catholic Church in Ethiopia and in Harar. The Apostolic Vicariate of Harrar includes the Harar Regional State, the Diredawa City Administration the Somalia Regional State, part of Afar Regional State and Western Hararghe of Oromiya Regional State under its jurisdiction.
By Makeda Yohannes, CBCE Communications and Public Relation Office, Ethiopia
