The Holy Father Pope Francis has nominated fr Richard Appora-Ngalanib as the Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Bambari in the Central African Republic. He is of the Provincial Vicariate of Equatorial Africa of the Province of France.
Fr Richard was born in 1972 in Bangui. He made his first profession in the Order in 1997 and was ordained to the priesthood in 2004.
He studied both in his home country and in various other countries in Africa, namely: Ivory Coast at the Catholic University of Western Africa (UCAO), DR Congo at the Catholic University of Congo (UCC), Cameroun at the Catholic University of Central Africa (UCAC) and Congo-Brazzaville at the Free University of Congo. He has an Advanced Diploma in Civil Law and a Licentiate in Moral Theology and Philosophy.
Over the years, he has served in various capacities: University Chaplain and Parochial Vicar of the University Chaplaincy of St Thomas Aquinas, Douala (2006-2008), Director of Students in the Vicariate of Equatorial Africa (2006-2010), Professor of Fundamental Moral Theology at the Ecole Cathdrale de Thologie in Douala (2007-2008), University Chaplain at the Free University of Congo-Brazzaville (2008-2010), Professor at the Major Seminary of Brazzaville and member of the Formation Council of the Inter-Novitiate (2008-2012) and Professor and Spiritual Director at the Major Seminary of St Mark in Bangui since 2012.
At the time of his nomination, he was the Superior of the community in Bangui and the President of the Conference of Major Superiors in Central Africa.
The Catholic Diocese of Bambari, Central African Republic: area – 173,000, population – 450,700, Catholics – 110,700, priests – 24, religious 12.
(11 December 2016)