AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - The Pope appoints the Bishop of Umzimkulu

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, on 31 December 2008, appointed Rev. P. Stanislaw Jan Dziuba, O.S.P.P.E., a Polish missionary, as Bishop of Umzimkulu (South Africa). Until now Rev Dziuba was vicar general of the same diocese.
The new Bishop was born on 27 April 1960 at Radomsko (archdiocese of Częstochowa). From 1980 to 1986 he studied at the major seminary of the Monks of St Paul First Hermit in Krakow (affiliated with the Krakow Pontifical Academy), in Poland, for a Magister degree in Theology. He made his perpetual vows on 21 September 1985 and was ordained a priest on 31 May 1986. Since then he has ministered as follows: 1986-1987: assistant novice master at Leśniów, Poland; 1987-1991: pastoral minister of the Shrine of Our Lady at Czestochowa in Doylestown, archdiocese of Philadelphia (United States); 1991-1996: He was transferred to the diocese of Umzimkulu in South Africa and appointed parish priest and local O.S.P.P.E. superior at Centocow; from 1996: besides parish priest he was also Vicar foraneo, diocesan spiritual director of the sodality of the Sacred Heart, coodinator for diocesan catechism programmes and for collections. At present he is vicar general of Umzimkulu.
The diocese of Umzimkulu, created in 1954, is a suffragan of the archdiocese of Durban. It has an area of 15,275 sq. km., a population of 88,264 (28,380 are Catholics), 15 parishes, 15 priests (9 diocesan e 6 religious) of the clergy of Marianhill and Durban. The diocese has only one local diocesan priest and it has 30 women religious. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 8/1/2009; righe 20, parole 251)