AFRICA/CONGO - Appointment of Bishop of Owando

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on 11 February 2011, appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Owando (Republic of Congo), Father Victor Abagna Mossa, of the clergy of Owando, currently involved in Congolese pastoral ministry for the Congolese in Namur, Belgium.
The new Bishop was born on 18 June 1946 in Makoua, not far from Owando, in the north of the Republic of Congo. After attending St Pius X Minor Seminary in Makoua for primary and secondary schooling, he went on to the Major Seminary in Brazzaville where he studied Philosophy and Theology. Upon completing his studies he was ordained a priest in Owando on 29 December 1974. After the Ordination he held the following roles: 1975-1977: Assistant parish priest in Gamboma and completed his Arts degree. Then he taught French at Salvator Allende School in Makoua; 1977-1979: Professor at St Pius X Minor Seminary in Makoua; 1979-1986: Director at the Seminary; 1986-1992: Vicar General of the Diocese of Owando; 1992-1997: appointed Pastor of the parish of St John Marie Vianney in Ewo; 1997-1999: appointed Pastor of the parish of Boundji; dal 1999: sent to Namur (Belgium), where he is hospital chaplain and administrator of the parish of Sacré-Coeur et St Charles, in Vedrin Les Comognes.
The Diocese of Owando (1977), suffragan of the Archdiocese of Brazzaville, has an area of 113,250 sq. km and a population of 525,000, of whom 400,000 are Catholic. There are 22 parishes, 49 priests (47 diocesan and 2 Fidei donum), 7 religious brothers and 81 major seminarians; 55 priests in the diocese are students or residents in Europe. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 12/02/2011)