AFRICA/KENYA – EMBU, REV. ANTHONY MUHERIA APPOINTED BISHOP

Vatican City (Fides Service) – The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II has, (30 October 2003) appointed Bishop of Embu (Kenya), Reverend Father Anthony Muheria of the Prelature of Opus Dei.
The Bishop elect was born on 27 May 1963 at Kaburugi, then in the diocese of Myeri, now Murgang’a, Kenya. After high school he obtained a BC in Science and Civil Engineering at Nairobi University. For five years he worked as an consultant engineer and then he joined Opus Dei. He was sent to Rome to study at Holy Cross University where he obtained a licentiate and degree in theology. He was ordained a priest on 13 June 1993.
He returned to Kenya and worked in the Opus Dei regional offices as head of education, in charge of a programme for the human, professional, doctrinal and spiritual formation of Opus Dei members. He was also spiritual assistant to in schools and Opus Dei institutes and he preached retreats.
Embu diocese (1986) with the diocese of Maralal, Marsabit, Meru, Murang’a and Nyahururu is a suffragan of Nyeri metropolitan See. It has a n area of 2,822 sq., km and a population of 489,737 of whom 167.983 are Catholics gathered in 15 parishes, assisted by 45 priests (32 diocesan, 3 fidei donum from Trieste (Italy) and 10 Religious, 3 Brothers and 89 Sisters. The diocese has a convent of enclosed Augustinian nuns and there are 43 seminarians. (Fides Service 17/11/2003 EM lines 21 Words: 250)