KENYA: Vatican Appoints New Pontifical Commissary for the Apostles of Jesus Congregation
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
The Vatican has through the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CICLSAL) appointed Fr. Angelo Bettelli, a member of Canossian Sons of Charity (FDCC), as the new Pontifical Commissary for the Religious Missionary Order of the Apostles of Jesus (AJ).
Fr. Angelo takes over from Monsignor Raphael p’Mony Wokorach a member of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (MCCJ) who was elevated to episcopate on March 31 “after three years of work (and) has resigned from the office.”
Reading the decree on Monday, May 31, at the AJ Generalate house in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, the Pontifical Assistant Sr. Jacinta Auma Opondo disclosed the message from CICLSAL leadership saying, “Given the persistence of the reasons that led to the decision to appoint a Pontifical Commissary, this Dicastery, after carefully evaluating everything, with the intention of continuing to offer the Institute in question the help needed, and to protect the good of the members and the quality of the witness that Consecrated life is called to offer to the People of God, accepts the afore-mentioned resignation and with the present decree appoints and constitutes Reverend Fr. Angelo Bettelli FDCC the Pontifical Commissary of the Institute of the Apostles of Jesus.”
“All the rights and duties that the universal law of the Church and the proper law attribute to the Superior General of the said Institute and to his Councils are assumed by the Pontifical Commissary,” Sr. Jacinta a member of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Anna (FSSA) read an excerpt of the Decree.
Sr. Jacinta and Fr. Angelo an Italian Missionary who has served in Kenya for the past years have been assisting Msgr. Wokorach at the Commissariat to oversee the process of internal reforms and re-organization of the life of the members and of the Institute together with Sr. Eugenia Campara a member of Daughters of Saint Paul (fsp) who is the Commissariat’s Secretary.
“The mandate of the Pontifical Commissary is ad nutum Sanctae Sedis (at the disposition of the Holy See),” Sr. Jacinta read the message from Vatican to members of AJ who were present on Monday May 31, 2021, at the event announcing the new Commissary adding, “Periodically, at least every six months, the Commissary will transmit to the Dicastery a written report, making known the means which he discerns and deems suitable for promoting the good of the afore-mentioned Association and for the persons concerned.”
Msgr. Wokorach who hands over to the new Pontifical Commissary, was appointed the Bishop of Nebbi Diocese in Uganda and will be ordained and installed Saturday, June 26 in Uganda.
