SUDAN: Pope Francis appoints the New Bishop of El-Obeid Diocese
The Holy Father Pope Francis on Monday, February 13 appointed Fr. Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali as Bishop of El Obeid Diocese in Nuba Mountains.
According to the information released by Vatican Press Office the Bishop-Elect who was born in 1964 in Tojoro, Sudan, was ordained a priest in 1991. He holds a licentiate and doctorate in Canon law from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, Kenya, and has served as parish collaborator in El Nahud, Nayala, El Fasher and Kadaguli (1991-1995).
He also served as Rector of the minor seminary of El Obeid (1995-2002); Vicar General of the diocese (1997-2002) and pastor of All Saints Parish in Saraf Jamus. Before his appointment the Bishop –elect was serving as Rector of the interdiocesan St. Paul’s Seminary in Juba-South Sudan.
Announcing the appointment the President of Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC), Rt Rev Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala, Bishop of Tombura Yambio – in South Sudan expressed gratitude on behalf of the Conference to Pope Francis for the appointment of the New Bishop of el Obeid. He asked the entire Christian to praise the Lord for the appointment.
The Bishop-elect will be succeeding Archbishop Michael Didi who took over from H.E. Gabriel Cardinal Zubeir Wako as the Archbishop of Khartoum – Sudan. Cardinal Zubeir officially retired in December 2016.
Diocese of El Obeid has the following statistics: area 888,938, population 9,006,000, Catholics 100,000, priests 30, religious 19.
