ETHIOPIA: Apostolic Vicariate of Gambella Gets New Apostolic Administrator
Rev. Fr. Tesfaye Petros Botachew, Apostolic Administrator of Gambella
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The Apostolic Vicariate of Gambella, Ethiopia, has received a new Apostolic Administrator Fr. Tesfaye Petros Botachew following the death of Bishop Angelo Moreschi who succumbed to COVID-19 on March 25, 2020 in Italy.
“I am pleased to inform Your Eminence that, by virtue of the special faculties given by the Holy Father Pope Francis, the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples has appointed Reverend Father Tesfaye Petros Botachew Apostolic Administrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the Apostolic Vicariate of Gambella,” Apostolic Nuncio to Ethiopia Archbishop Antoine Camilleri said in a letter addressed to Ethiopian Catholic Bishops Conference (ECBC) dated Friday, April 3.
“Reverend Tesfaye Petros Botachew will guide, until such a time as an Apostolic Vicar will be appointed for the Apostolic Vicariate of Gambella, which was made vacant with the sudden death of the Most Reverend Angelo Moreschi, S.D.B.,” the Nuncio expounded in regard to the role of the new Apostolic Administrator.
In the letter, the Popes’ representative promised support and prayers to the new Apostolic Administrator saying, “As we assure Abba Tesfaye of our fraternal support and our prayers in the accomplishment of his new task, I take this opportunity to renew to Your Eminence/ Your Excellency the assurances of my highest consideration.”
Speaking to AMECEA online in an interview, Fr. Botachew expressed his reaction to the appointment saying, “This appointment was unexpected. I was waiting that the Holy see will appoint a new Bishop because our Bishop was out of his Vicariate for many years.”
Due to health problems, the late Bishop Moreschi traveled to Italy in 2015 for medication where he stayed till his death when he contracted COVID-19.
He appreciated the humility of the late prelate saying, “The late Bishop Angelo is a model for our priests being humble and simple. We need this spirit in the Vicariate to reach the poorest of the poor who are asking us to spread to them the Gospel.”
As new Administrator of the Vicariate, Fr. Botachew’s intent is to deepen evangelization in Gambella, an “area where majority of the people did not know about the Gospel but after arrival of the Catholic Church many villages are requesting to be evangelized.”
“My plan until they appoint a new Bishop is to strengthen evangelization.” Besides, “The Vicariate is a fertile land for evangelization. We need more priests and Religious to help spread the Gospel,” the priest disclosed adding that the Christians are requesting to be evangelized even if there are few local priests.
Fr. Botachew was ordained in 2005 after seminary formation and has served for 16 years in Gambella. Since his ordination he has served as a Director of a pastoral centre, and a Parish priest where he evangelized in the villages and opened new missions.
Since 2009, the 42-year-old cleric has been a Vicar General of Gambella until his appointment as the Apostolic Administrator for the same vicariate.
