AFRICA/ETHIOPIA - Appointment of Bishop Coadjutor

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On June 28, the Holy Father appointed Reverend Father Varghese Thottamkara, C.M., a former missionary in Ethiopia, currently Assistant General of the Vincentian Fathers as Coadjutor of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nekemte (Ethiopia), assigning him the episcopal titular of Cullu.
Rev. Fr. Varghese Thottamkara C.M., was born on June 2, 1959 in Thottuva (Archdiocese of Ernakulam-India). He enters PP. Vincentians in 1982 and makes his solemn profession on May 10, 1986. He was ordained on January 6, 1987.
The Apostolic Vicariate of Nekemte (1982), has an area of 98,972 square kilometers and a population of 7,241,000 inhabitants, of whom 55,453 are Catholics. There are 91 parishes served by 28 priests (19 diocesan and 9 religious), 85 nuns and 21 major seminarians. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 05/07/2013)