AFRICA/KENYA - Bishop of Muranga appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on April 4, 2009, appointed Fr. James Wainaina Kungu of the clergy of Nyahururu, Rector of the Christ the King Major Seminary (Archdiocese of Nyeri), Bishop of Muranga (Kenya).
Fr. James Wainaina Kungu was born on December 23, 1956 in Ngenya, at the Parish of North Kinangop (Archdiocese of Nyeri), now territory of the Diocese of Nyahururu. He studied philosophy at the St. Augustine Major Seminary (1978-1980) and theology at the St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Nairobi (1980-1984). He was ordained a priest on December 13, 1984 for the Archdiocese of Nyeri and later joined the clergy of the Diocese of Nyahururu, following its erection in 2002. Since his ordination, he has ministered as follows: 1984-1986: Professor of St. Paul Minor Seminary in Nyeri; 1986-1996: Financial Administrator for the Archdiocese of Nyeri; 1996-2001: Studies for the Licentiate in Theology at the Pontifical University of Saint Anselm in Padua; 2002-2003: Professor of Liturgy at Christ the King Seminary; since 2003: Rector of Christ the King Major Seminary in Nyeri.
The Diocese of Muranga (1983) is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Nyeri. It has an area of 4,016 kmq, with 1,522,000 inhabitants (716,950 Catholics), 35 parishes, 99 priests (85 diocesan and 14 religious), 15 religious, 29 seminarians and 105 religious women. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 6/4/2009)