ASIA/INDONESIA - Bishop of Weetebula appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on April 4, 2009, appointed Fr. Edmund Woga, C.Ss.R, Administrator of the Diocese of Weetebula (Indonesia), Bishop of the same diocese.
Fr. Edmund Woga, C.Ss.R was born on November 17, 1950 in Hewokloang, in the Diocese of Maumere (Flores). He entered St. John Berchmans Minor Seminary in Mataloko, Flores, and then the Redemptorist seminary in Sumba, studying philosophy and theology in the Major Seminary of Kentungan Yogyakarta (1971-1977). He was ordained a priest on November 29, 1977 for the Diocese of Weetebula. He later entered the Redemptorists (1980) and took his perpetual vows in 1985. Since his ordination, he has ministered as follows: 1978: Director of the Religion Teachers’ Training Institute, Waingapu; 1978-1979: Pastor of St.Clemens, Katikuloku; 1979-1982: Director of the Pada Dita Boarding, Waingapu; 1982-1984: Studies for a Licentiate in Missiology in Sankt Augustin, Germany; 1985: Return to prepare for perpetual vows in Sumba; 1986-1992: Studies for a Degree in Fundamental Theology in Monaco, Germany; 1993-2002: Professor of Missiology at Wedhabakti Theological Faculty, Yogyakarta; 2002-2008: Provincial Superior of the Redemptorists in Indonesia with headquarters in West Sumba; since 2008: Diocesan Administrator of Weetebula.
The Diocese of Weetebula (1969), is suffragan of the Archdiocese of Kupang. It has an area of 11,052 km, with 706,000 inhabitants (135,107 Catholics), 21 parishes, 85 priests (28 diocesan and 57 religious), 5 religious, 49 seminarians, and 73 religious women. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 6/4/2009)