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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Francis has appointed Rev. Raphael Mweempwa, of the clergy of Monze, currently Professor and Formator at St. Dominic Major Theological Seminary of Lusaka, as bishop of the diocese of Monze (Zambia).
His Exc. Msgr. Raphael Mweempwa was born on March 30, 1974 in Monze. He studied Philosophy at St. Augustine Major Seminary in Mpima-Kabwe from 1996 to 1998 and then Theology at the St. Dominic Major Seminary in Lusaka from 1998 to 2002, obtaining respectively the Diploma in Philosophy and Religious Studies and the Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology.
In 2002 he continued his studies at Lumko Institute, in South Africa, obtaining a Certificate in Pastoral Ministry and another in Catechesis and then in Zambia for a Certificate in Psychological Counseling (2005-2006); from 2007 to 2010 he obtained a Licentiate in Canon Law at the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome and, in 2016, he attended some courses at the Apostolic Signatura and the Roman Rota. On June 29, 2002 he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Monze.
He has held the following positions: Parish Vicar (2002-2004) and Parish Priest (2004-2007) of St. Mary's Parish in Choma; Member of the Diocesan Catechetical Commission (2006-2007); Parish priest of Our Lady of the Wayside in Manungu, in the same Diocese (2010-2012); Diocesan Chancellor (2011-2012); Member of the Council for Economic Affairs (2011-2019); Vocational Director, Coordinator of the Formation Team of the Diocese of Monze (2012-2016); Member of the Presbyterial Council and of the Catechetical Commission (2013-2019); Coordinator of the Translation Team of the Diocese (2015-2019); since 2019 he has been Professor of Canon Law and Formator at the St. Dominic Major Theological Seminary in Lusaka. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 25/2/2022)
