AFRICA/ZAMBIA - The Pope appoints Bishop of Solwezi

Vatican City (Fides Service) - The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI on 30 Mary 2007 appointed Rev. Alick Banda Bishop Solwezi (Zambia). Until now the bishop elect was Chancellor of the diocese of Ndola and docent of Canon Law at various Ecclesiastical institutes in Zambia.
Rev. Alick Banda was born on 15 November 1963 at Mufulira, diocese of Ndola. He attended local schools and then studied philosophy and theology at Zambia's national Seminaries St. Augustine and St. Dominic. He was ordained a priest on 7 August 1994. Since then he has ministered as follows: 1995-1997: assistant priest at the parish of St. Joseph a Kitwe and personal secretary to Bishop Dennis De Jong; 1997-2002: Studies for a doctorate in Theology at Sankt Georgen University in Frankfurt am Main, Germany; 2002-2004: parish priest at Sts. Peter and Paul at Chingola. Since 2005: Chancellor of the diocese of Ndola; docent of Canon Law at Redemptoris Mater seminary in Ndola and Kalundu Study Centre in Lusaka (for women religious of English speaking African countries).
Solwezi diocese, a suffragan of Lusaka, was created in 1976. It has an area of 125.826sq km, a population of about 750,000 including 70,400 Catholics gathered in 17 parishes, assisted by 37 priests (18 diocesan, 7 Fidei donum and 12 religious), 4 Brothers, 47 women religious and there are 18 major seminarians. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 30/5/2007; Righe 16; Parole 236)