Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Città del Vaticano (Agenzia Fides) – The Holy Father Francis, on 8 April 2017, accepted the resignation of the pastoral government of the Apostolic Vicariate of Hosanna (Ethiopia), presented by Bishop Woldeghiorghis Matheos. The Pope appointed as new Apostolic Vicar of Hosanna, Rev. Seyoum Franso Noel, Delegate Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Meki and National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies. He has been assigned the Titular See of Eminenziana.
Rev. Seyoum Franso Noel was born on 20 August 1970 in Ethiopia, in the region of Arsi (Gololcha district, village of Waragu), in the Apostolic Vicariate of Meki. After attending the Catholic School in Meki, he studied Philosophy and Theology at the Cappuchin Franciscan Institute in Addis Ababa, affiliated to the Pontifical Urban University in Rome, obtaining a Degree in Theology.
Since his ordination to the priesthood on 5 September 1998 for the Apostolic Vicariate of Meki, he has served as follows: 1998-1999: Assistant Rector at Meki Major Seminary in Addis Ababa; 1999-2002: Rector of the Minor Seminary in Meki and assistant Parish priest at the Cathedral; 2001-2003: he studied General Management at the Alpha Education and Share Company in Addis Ababa, obtaining a Diploma; 2002-2006: Assistant Secretary at the Catholic National Secretariat in Addis Ababa; 2006-2012: he studied Missiology at Pontifical Urban University, obtaining and a Licence and a Doctorate, while residing at the S. Pietro Pontifical College.
Since 2012 he has been Vice Secretary general of the Catholic National Secretariat in Addis Ababa, since 2013 National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies and since 2016 Director of the National Secretariat Pastoral Department. Since 2015 he is also Delegate Vicar of Meki.
The Vicariate Apostolic of Hosanna, created in 2010, covers an area of 8.214 sq.km and has a population of 2,695,564 of whom 124,225 are Catholics, gathered in 29 parishes, and served by 60 priests (50 diocesan, 10 religious), with 42 women religious, 2 deacons nearing Ordination to the priesthood and the Vicariate has 4 major seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 10/4/2017).
