Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI on January 7, 2012 accepted the resignation from the pastoral governance of the diocese of Makeni (Sierra Leone), presented by His Excellency Mons George Biguzzi, S.X., in accordance with canon 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law. The Holy Father appointed Rev. Henry Aruna of the clergy of Kenema, Sierra Leone, Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Gambia and Sierra Leone.
Rev. Henry Aruna was born on August 2, 1964 at Yemandu, Diocese of Kenema. He completed his elementary studies at St. Paul's Primary School and secondary schools at the Holy Trinity Secondary School in Kenema. From 1982 to 1984 he attended the minor Seminary at St. Kizito in Kenema, where he completed then the preparatory course in 1985. He studied philosophy at first at St. Paul's College Seminary in Gbarnga, Liberia, and then at Makeni, in Sierra Leone, where he obtained his Bachelor of Philosophy (1985-1989) and Theology (1989-1922). He was ordained a priest on April 16, 1993 and in the diocese of Kenema.Dopo ordination, he has held the following positions: 1993-1995: Vicar in the parish of Blama; 1995-1996: Administrator of the Catholic mission among the refugees, in collaboration with Caritas and UNHCR; 1996-1999: Professor at St. Paul's Major Seminary in Makeni in 1997; he did a brief course in religious formation: Counselling, Human Growth, Spirituality and Development at the Institute of St. Anselm , Kent, England; 1999-2011: Studies for a Licentiate in Philosophy at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome; 2001-2009: Professor at St. Paul's Major Seminary in Freetown, where he was also Dean of Studies and Bursar; 2004-2005 : Master of Education at the University of Sierra Leone. Since 2008 he has been Secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Gambia and Sierra Leone and the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
The Diocese of Makeni, built in 1962, is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Freetown. It has an area of 36,100 square kilometers and a population of 1,800,000 inhabitants, of whom 50,000 are Catholics. There are 12 parishes, 59 priests (28 diocesan and 31 religious), 14 religious brothers, 29 nuns and 16 seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 09/01/2012)
