AFRICA/TOGO - Resignation of the Bishop of Sokodé and appointment of successor

Monday, 11 January 2016

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On 3 January 2016, the Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the Diocese of Sokode, Togo, presented by His Exc. Mgr. Ambroise Kotamba Djoliba, in accordance with canon 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law.
The Holy Father appointed Rev. Célestin-Marie Gaoua, Rector of the major philosophical Seminary in Tchitchao, in the diocese of Kara as Bishop of the Diocese of Sokode.
The newly-elected Bishop was born in Wahala, diocese of Atakpamé, on 6 April 1957. From 1972 he attended the St. Paul Minor Seminary, in Atakpamé. After the closure of this Seminary, he continued his studies at high school. Later he attended the Saint Gall Major Seminary in Ouidah, Benin, for courses in philosophy and theology. He was ordained a priest on 27 December 1986.
Since his ordination, he has served the following pastoral and academic roles: 1987-1991: Rector of the Foyer du Petit Séminaire St. Paul in Atakpamé; 1991-1994: Rector of the Séminaire Moyen Jérémie P. Moran, in Atakpamé; 1994-1999: studies of speciliazation in France, during which he was Assistant priest in Saint-Joseph parish in Montigny-les-Metz (1997-1999); 2000-2009: Fidei donum missionary in the diocese of Sokodé, where he was Assistant priest and then parish priest in the parish of the Cathedral and, from 2005 to 2007, priest administrator of the Notre Dame de la Visitation parish, in Kulundé; 2009-2015: Rector of the major philosophical Seminary national Benoît XVI, in Tchitchao, in the diocese of Kara. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 11/01/2016)


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