AFRICA/NIGERIA - Appointment of Bishop of Bauchi

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on 18 March 2011 appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Bauchi (Nigeria), Father Malachy John Goltok, Parish Priest and Treasurer of the Archdiocese of Jos.
Fr Malachy John Goltok was born on 12 July 1965 in Bauchi. After primary school in St Peter in Wunti, Bauchi, 1972 - 1978, and secondary school at the Minor Seminary of St John Vianney, Barkin Lodi, Jos, 1978 - 1983, he commenced his studies for the priesthood at the Major Seminary of St Augustine, Jos, 1984 – 1990. He was ordained a priest on 4 November 1990 for the Archdiocese of Jos.
After his priestly ordination, he held the following ministries: 1990 - 1991: Assistant parish priest in the parish of St Stephen, Jagindi; 1991 - 1996: Parish priest of St James, Gombe; 1996 – 2004: Director of the Centre of Spiritual Formation in Kuru, Jos; 2004-2011: Parish Priest of St Finbarr, Treasurer of the Archdiocese of Jos;
The Diocese of Bauchi (2003), suffragan of the Archdiocese of Jos, has an area of 64,605 sq. km and a population of 6,105,000 inhabitants, of whom 78,000 are Catholic. There are 16 parishes served by 33 priests (26 diocesan, 7 religious), 8 sisters and 20 seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 18/03/2011)