Africa-Press – Kenya. Pope Francis has appointed Rev. Fr. John Mbinda as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar.
The letter of his appointment was sent to the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) by the Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya and South Sudan, Archbishop Bert Van Megen.
“I have the honour and pleasure to inform you that Pope Francis has appointed the Reverend Father John Mbinda as the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lodwar. The Bishop-elect belongs to the Congregation of the Holy Ghost Fathers (Spiritans),” the Nuncio’s letter reads.
A statement by the Kenya Catholic Media Network on Monday stated that Bishop-elect Mbinda was working as an assistant Parish Priest of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Parish, and currently assisting at St. Edward Parish in Chiswick, Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster Archdiocese in the United Kingdom.
He was born on May 5, 1973, in Kanzalu Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Machakos.
In 1993, he joined the Congregation at Spiritan Missionary Seminary in Arusha, Tanzania, then Novitiate in 1996 after which he took his first religious vows in 1997 in Magamba, Lushoto – Tanzania.
In 1997, Bishop-elect Mbinda proceeded to study theology at Tangaza University College.
After taking his final vows, he was ordained deacon in 2001 and a priest on May 18, 2002.
As a new priest, he was posted to Kositei Parish in the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru where he worked for seven years.
He then left for Ireland to pursue his Master’s Degree in Development Studies.
Upon returning back to Kenya in 2009, he was appointed Parish Priest of St. Austin’s Parish in the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi where he served for six years.
Mbinda was elected the Provincial Superior of the Spiritans for Kenya and South Sudan in January 2015 where he served for two terms until January 2021.
Later he left for the UK where he also ministered at St. Chad RC Church in South Norwood, Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark from September 2021 to March 31.
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