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Bishop-elect for DR Congo’s Wamba Diocese says Appointment “an enormous challenge”

Mons. Emmanuel Ngona Ngotsi. Credit: Radio Moto

By Jude Atemanke

Wamba, 19 January, 2024 / 9:10 pm (ACI Africa).

The newly appointed Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of Wamba in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has described his January 17 appointment as “an enormous challenge.”

Speaking to journalists Thursday, January 18, Mons. Emmanuel Ngona Ngotsi welcomed his appointment with a lot of gratitude, “first to God for choosing his humble servant and to Episcopal Conference of Congo.” 

“It's an enormous challenge but I put my trust in God, who has always led me as a missionary,” Mons. Ngotsi said.

He added, “34 years ago, I was outside the Congo as a missionary and the Lord has always led me.”

“I put my trust in him. It's his mission, not mine. I also trusted God's people, whom I'm getting to know through prayer,” the Congolese Bishop-elect said.

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He said, “As a missionary I've always obeyed where I've been called. I leave with an open heart, ready to welcome all the people as I have done wherever the Lord has sent me, and the key to happiness is to love.”

“Love everyone the Lord puts in my path,” Mons. Ngotsi said.

In the Wednesday, January 17 administrative changes in the DRC published by the Holy See Press Office, the Holy Father accepted the retirement of 76-year-old Bishop Janvier Kataka Luvete from the pastoral care of Wamba Diocese.

Born in January 1960, Mons. Ngotsi has been serving as the Provincial Superior of the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers) Province of Central Africa. He was ordained a Priest in August 1990. 

The holder of a licentiate in Social Sciences from the Catholic Institute of Paris in France has previously served as Rector of the institute of philosophy of the White Fathers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, member of the General Council of the Missionaries of Africa in Rome, and Provincial Superior of the Congregation in Bukavu, DRC. 

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Mons. Ngotsi is also a member of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors in DRC’s Archdiocese of Bukavu.

Once he is Consecrated Bishop, the Congolese member of the Missionaries of Africa will serve as the fourth Local Ordinary of Wamba Diocese that has a population of 247,230 Catholics, according to 2020 statistics. 

Jude Atemanke

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.

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