AFRICA/CHAD - Rev. Joachim Kouraleyo Tarounga appointed Bishop of Moundou

Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Holy Father Pope John Paul II has, 3 June 2004, appointed Bishop of Moundou (Chad) Reverend Joachim Kouraleyo Tarounga of the clergy of Doba, Rector of the Major Seminary of N’Djamena.
The Bishop elect was born in 1958 at Donia diocese of Goré. He studied in Chad, in Cameroon, Ivory Coast (ICAO) and in Paris at the Catholic Institute where he obtained a Licentiate in Theology. He was ordained a priest on 18 November 1989 for the diocese of Doba. He has since been assistant parish priest, parish priest, teacher and rector at the Major Seminary of N’Djamena. He was head of Pastoral in Doba, diocesan Secretary General of “Rencontre Sacerdotale et Religieuse des Africains au Tchad”; University Chaplain in N’Djamena.
Moundou diocese is a suffragan of the archdiocese of N’Djamena, the only ecclesiastic province in Chad. It has an area of 8.692 sq. km, a population of 531,793 including 180,000 Catholics, 12 parishes forming 4 deaneries, assisted by 25 priests (17 diocesan, 3 fidei donum and 5 Religious), 1 Brother, 64 women Religious, more than 1,000 catechists and there are 14 major seminarians and 24 minors. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 12/6/2004; Righe 14; Parole 181)