Pope Francis Appoints Bishop in Madagascar, Auxiliary Bishop in Tanzania

Since his ordination to the Priesthood, Mons. Rakotoarisoa has previously served in various positions, including Vicar of the Cathedral of Tsiroanomandidy; Bursar and diocesan secretary of Tsiroanomandidy; and interim director of the Catholic High School of Tsiroanomandidy.

The holder of a Master’s degree in Theology from the Catholic Institute of Madagascar and alumnus of the Rome-based Pontifical Urbaniana University where he obtained a Licentiate and Doctorate in Canon Law has also served as Diocesan administrator of Tsiroanomandidy.

He has been serving as the Vicar General of Miarinarivo Diocese and National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Madagascar.

Once Consecrated, the Bishop-elect will become the seventh Bishop of the Malagasy Diocese, which became vacant last June following the resignation of 62-year-old Bishop  Jean Claude Randrianarisoa, who had been at the helm of the Diocese since May 2007.

The Diocese that was erected in December 1933 as the Mission "Sui Iuris" of Miarinarivo and elevated to a Diocese in September 1955 is part of the Ecclesiastical province of the Archdiocese of Antananarivo.

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The 18,000 square-kilometer Diocese has an estimated population of 308,825 Catholics representing 41.8 percent of the total population of the Diocese, according to 2021 statistics.

Mons. Mwasekaga

The Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC) confirmed the appointment of Mons. Mwasekaga as the Auxiliary Bishop of Mbeya Archdiocese on the same day the Holy See Press Office made it public.

The Bishop-elect, who until his appointment has been serving as the Vicar General of the same Metropolitan See and Parish Priest of St. Francis of Assisi in Mwanjelwa was born in March 1976.

He was ordained a Priest for the same Archdiocese in July 2005 after completing his Priestly studies and formation at St. Augustin Major Seminary in Peramiho, Tanzania.

Since his ordination as a Priest, Mons. Mwasekaga has served as assistant Parish Priest of St. Peter Claver in Mlowo; Director of the Archdiocese Catechesis Office and Director of the Catechetical Training Center and Coordinator of Liturgy.

He pursued further studies at the Salesian Theological Institute of San Tommaso in Messina, Italy, where he obtained a Licentiate in Sacred Theology and at the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome where he attained a Doctorate in Theology.

Once ordained Bishop, he is expected to assist the 57-year-old Archbishop Gervais John Mwasikwabhila Nyaisonga in shepherding the 60,348 square-kilometer Archdiocese that has 550,530 Catholics representing 19.7 percent of the total population in the Metropolitan See, according to 2021 statistics.

The Metropolitan See that has Iringa, Mafinga, and Sumbawanga as Suffragan Dioceses was erected in July 1932 as Vicariate Apostolic of Tanganyika (Eastern part) before being elevated to the Archdiocese in December 2018.

Mons. Mwasekaga has been assigned the titular see of Thuburbo Minus. 

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Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.