OCEANIA/PAPUA NEW GUINEA - Bishop of Kimbe appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – Pope Benedict XVI, on June 8, 2010, appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Kimbe (Papua New Guinea), Fr. William Fey, O.F.M. Cap, Superior of the Capuchin Fathers in Papua New Guinea.
Fr. William Fey, OFM Cap., was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, on November 6, 1942. After secondary studies, he joined the Institute of the Capuchin Fathers in Herman, Pennsylvania. After the novitiate, he made his first vows on July 14, 1963. After completing his philosophical studies at St. Fidelis Seminary, and studying theology at the Capuchin College in Washington DC, he made his perpetual vows on July 14, 1966 and was ordained October 19, 1968. After his ordination, he held the following positions: 1968-1974: Studies for a doctorate in philosophy from Oxford University in Britain, 1974-1986: professor of Philosophy in St. Fidelis Seminary in Pennsylvania and formator in St. Charles Borromeo Seminary (College) in Ohio, 1987-1988: sent to Papua New Guinea as a missionary, where he exercised his ministry in the Parish of Pangia, Diocese of Mendi, studying the tok pidgin language and Melanesian culture, 1988-1998: Director of the Franciscan House of Formation in Bomana and professor at Holy Spirit Interdiocesan Seminary, 1998-2007: Professor and Dean of the School of Philosophy at the Catholic Theological Institute (CTI) in Bomana, 2007: Superior of his congregation, with residence in the Diocese of Mendi. He is also Secretary of the Commission for Ecumenism of the Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
The Diocese of Kimbe, built in 2003, is suffragan of the Archdiocese of Rabaul, and has an area of 25,300 sq.km. and a population of 205,000 inhabitants, of whom 130,000 are Catholics. There are 23 parishes served by 19 priests (12 diocesan and religious 7), 14 nuns, and 26 major seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 06/08/2010)