AFRICA/BURKINA FASO - Bishop of Ouahigouya appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on February 2, 2010, appointed Fr. Justin Kientega of the Diocese of Koudougou, Bursar of the Diocese, as Bishop of the Diocese of Ouahigouya (Burkina Faso).
Fr. Justin Kientega was born on July 7, 1959 in the parish of Temnaoré, in the Diocese of Koudougou. After primary school, he entered the Minor Seminary of Koudougou and later the Major Seminary of Ouagadougou and in that of Koumi, in Bobo-Dioulasso. He was ordained a priest on July 25, 1987 for the Diocese of Koudougou. After his ordination, he carried out the following tasks: 1987-1992: Assistant Pastor at the Parish of St. Alphonse Reo; 1988-1992: Diocesan Chaplain for the Holy Childhood Association, 1992-2002: Pastor of the Cathedral of Koudougou, 2002-2007: Studies for a degree in Health Pastoral Ministry at the Camillianum Institute in Rome, 2007-2008: Vicar of the Parish of “Notre Dame de la Réconciliation de Burkina in Koudougou, from 2008: Diocesan Bursar and Chaplain of the Regional Hospital Center of Koudougou.
The Diocese of Ouahigouya, built in 1958, is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Ouagadougou and has an area of 19,126 sq.km. and a population of 1,200,000 inhabitants, of which 100,000 are Catholics. There are 62 priests (53 diocesan, 9 Fidei Donum), 13 religious brothers, 99 nuns, and 15 major seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 3/02/2010)