ETHIOPIA: Pope Francis Appoints Bishop Bergamaschi, Vicar Apostolic of Gambella
HE Mons. Roberto Bergamaschi, SDB, titular bishop of Ambia
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA and Habtamu Abrdew Beture
The Holy Father on Tuesday, September 29, appointed Bishop Roberto Bergamaschi a member of the Congregation of Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB) as the new Vicar Apostolic of Gambella Vicariate.
The Vicariate Apostolic of Gambella has been under the leadership of Apostolic Administrator Fr. Tesfaye Petros Botachew after the death of Bishop Angelo Moreschi in Italy early this year on March 25.
Speaking about the appointment of the new Vicar Apostolic, Fr. Botachew told AMECEA Online in an interview, “The new appointment is great news for me because it has been five years waiting for a bishop. The appointment of Bishop Roberto makes me happy because he is the good friend of my beloved Bishop Angelo (the late) and I hope he will continue his legacy.”
“I ask all the Christians, the lay missionaries, the clergy and the Religious to collaborate with the new bishop,” Fr. Botachew who has served as the Apostolic Administrator for six months said during the Friday, October 2, interview.
He shared his experience saying “Bishop Bergamaschi needs to give priority for the pastoral activities of the Vicariate as many people within the region are inviting the Catholic Church to help in evangelization, strengthen all parishes and Chapels in pastoral activities and invite different congregations to work in the Vicariate as we already began.”
Fr. Botachew thanked Mgr. Antoine Camilleri the Apostolic Nuncio in Ethiopia and the members of Catholic Bishops Conference of Ethiopia for their prayers, advice and support for the past five years.
Bishop Bergamaschi was born at San Donato Milanese in the Province of Milan, Italy. He made his first Religious profession on September 8, 1975 and final profession in 1981.
He was ordained a priest on the October2, 1982 in Brescia Italy and on June 29, 2016 appointed Vicar Apostolic of Hawassa Vicariate.
The new Prelate who is expected in Gambella tentatively on Sunday, November 1, has been the Vicar Apostolic of Hawassa Vicariate since 2016.
