VATICAN: Pope Francis Appoints Apostolic Visitors for Eritrean Catholics in US, Canada, Europe
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Pope Francis on Wednesday, January 19, appointed Fr. Tesfaldet Tekie Tsada, the Apostolic Visitor for the Eritrean faithful of the Alexandrian Ge’ez rite residing in the United States and Canada.
Fr. Tsada a member of the Public Association of Faithful Sons of St. Anne, currently chaplain of the Eritrean community of Los Angeles (USA) was ordained in 1997 as a member of the Missionary Society of the Lazarist Fathers.
He worked in Kenya as the Superior and Director for formation in the community of the Sons of St. Anne in Nairobi, and at the same time, chaplain of the Eritrean community in Kenya.
On the same appointment day, the Holy Father also appointed Fr. Kesete Ghebreyohannes Weldegebriel, as Apostolic Visitor for the Eritrean faithful of the Alexandrian Ge’ez rite residing in Europe.
Fr. Weldegebriel, the Protosyncellus (principal deputy of the Bishop) of the Archieparchy of Asmara, Eritrea was ordained in 1992.
The cleric who studied Canon Law at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome, has served as a parish priest, rector in seminary and also Eparchial Chancellor.
An Apostolic Visitor is a Church official whose role is to inspect the State of the Church in the country confided to them and then to draw up a report to the Holy See.
Sharing with AMECEA online about the appointment of Apostolic visitors for Eritrean Catholics in various countries, the General Secretary for the Catholic Secretariat of Eritrea Sr. Tsegereda Yonannes disclosed that “many Eritrean Catholics living in diaspora such as Europe, USA and Canada migrated during the previous independence and post- independence wars between Eritrea and Ethiopia.”
“Therefore, these Eritreans follow the Ge’ez rites and they need an organized assistance by their own Church leaders,” Sr. Yonannes said Friday, January 21.
