ETHIOPIA: Bishops Conference Appreciate Bishop Varghese as a Blessing to Church
Bezawit Assefa
Members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE) held a special occasion to thank His Excellency Bishop Varghese Thottamkara who served as the Apostolic Vicar of Nekemte Vicariate for the past ten years.
The occasion of gratitude was held on June 26, 2023 at the the General Secretariat of the conference in Addis Ababa.
His Eminence Cardinal Berhaneyesus, President of the CBCE, bishops, priests, Religious Superiors, Consecrated men and women, the laity and staff of the General Secretariat participated in the program.
His Eminence Cardinal Berhaneyesus has lauded, in his message, His Excellency Abune Varghese as a blessing of God’s love for the Vicariate of Nekemte as well as the Ethiopian Catholic Church. His Eminence thanked Bishop Verghese on behalf of the Ethiopian Catholic Church and the Bishops’ Conference for his humble services and contributions.
His Excellency Abune Varghese is always remembered for his teachings on priestly formation, moral theology, church history, canon law and medical ethics.
His Eminence Cardinal Berhaneyesus called everyone to pray for Reverend Fr. Girma Tesfaye, the current temporary apostolic administrator of the Vicariate of Nekemte.
His Excellency Abune Markos, Bishop of Vicariate of Jimma Bonga and His Excellency Abune Seyoum, Bishop of Vicariate of Hossana, were mentioned as the fruits of the services of His Excellency Abune Varghese.
Many participants also witnessed that there are many priests and religious who were students of Abune Varghese.
Bishop Varghese, on his part, mentioned that he is grateful for the people who welcomed and supported him since the beginning of the time as he was assigned to serve in Ethiopia in the year 2013.
He also thanked the bishops, Religious, priests, laymen, especially the the faithful of the Vicariate of Nekemte,
His Excellency urged everybody to serve Mother Church following the example of Saint Paul and pray for the grace of God.
Abune Varghese Totamkara (Abune George) the former Bishop of the Vicariate of Nekemte, has been appointed as Bishop at the Diocese of of Balasore in India.
