AFRICA/ANGOLA - Bishop of Lwena appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, on 26 November 2007, appointed as Bishop of Lwena (Angola) Rev. Fr. Jesús Tirso Blanco, S.D.B., Salesian Vice-Inspector in Angola.
Fr. Jesús Tirso Blanco, S.D.B., was born in a Ramos Mejía (Buenos Aires -Argentina) on 3 June 1957. He studied philosophy and theology at the Salesian Formation House in Buenos Aires. He has a Licentiate in Missiology and Social Communications. He made his profession perpetual on 24 January 1982 and was ordained a priest on 28 September 1985. In Angola since his ordination he has ministered as follows: assistant priest at Dundo; 1988-1991: parish priest at Lwena; 1991-1996: Director of the Salesian community and parish priest at Ndalatando; 1996-1998: Studies in Rome; 1998-2003: Youth Pastoral Coordinator of the Salesian province and e CEAST national youth pastoral delegate; 2000-2005: Director of the Salesian community and parish priest at S. José nella Lixeira, suburb of Luanda. Since 2005: Salesian Vice-Inspector dei Salesians and youth pastoral coordinator, Salesian province.
The diocese of Lwena, suffragan of Huambo, was created in 1979. It has an area of 223,043sq km and a population of about 700,000 of whom 140,000 are Catholics gathered in 4 parishes and 9 mission stations, assisted by 12 diocesan priests and 8 religious priests (Benedictines, Salesians and Divine Word Missionaries) 56 Brothers, 20 women religious and there are 18 major seminarians. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 26/11/2007; Righe 19; Parole 236)