By Timfuchi Aaron
The new residential Bishop of the Catholic diocese of Mamfe, in Manyu division, South West region, Most Rev. Aloysius Abangalo Fondong will be ordained on Thursday, May 5, 2022.
This information is contained in recent letter issued by the Apostolic Administrator of the Mamfe Diocese and Archbishop of Bamenda, His Grace Andrew Nkea. The note is addressed to priests, men, and women of consecrated life, members of Christ’s Lay Faithful, and the entire Diocese of Mamfe.
Appointed on February 22nd, 2022 by Pope Francis, Rev. Aloysius Abangalo Fundong becomes the third residential Bishop of the Diocese of Mamfe. The Pontifical Mass to ordain the Bishop-elect, the Archibishop Nkea-signed release stated, will take place at the St. Joseph Cathedral Church of Mamfe beginning at 9:00 am on May 5.
Nkea in the letter invited all to come and join to pray for the new Bishop. Bishop Abangolo, it should be said, will also during the same meeting take canonical possession of the See of Mamfe to officially begin his Episcopal Ministry.
Bishop Aloysius is coming at a time when Mamfe is still witnessing security challenges due to the crisis in the North west and South west regions.
Some months back, the Vicar General of the Diocese was kidnapped by unidentified armed men and was only released afterward.
Also, the Queen of the Rosary College, Okoyong, Mamfe, was burned down by alleged separatist fighters barely two weeks before the Bishop’s appointment.
Rev. Aloysius Fondong was born on June 5, 1973, in Limbe, which is under the Diocese of Buea. He studied Philosophy and Theology at St. Thomas Aquinas Interdiocesan Major Seminary in Bambui, in Bamenda. As a student, he also served as a minister in St. Peter and Paul Parish in Simbock.
He was ordained as a priest on April 20, 2006, in the Diocese of Buea. He had before now , served as; Vicar of the Holy Family Parish of Limbe 2006, 2007, Dean of Our Lord Of Grace 2007/2009, Diocesan Treasurer and member of the consultors 2009/ 2011, Teacher and trainer at St. Thomas Aquinas major seminary in Bambui and Defender of the bond at the inter diocesan Tribunal of Bamenda 2014/2019.
