Kinshasa, 15 October, 2020 / 11:23 pm (ACI Africa).
The Archbishop of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo has been appointed to the Vatican’s Council of Cardinals, whose members have the responsibility of advising Pope Francis.
In a message published by the Holy See Press Office Thursday, October 15, the Holy Father announced Cardinal Ambongo’s appointment to the Council alongside Bishop Marco Mellino who will serve “as secretary of the same Council.” Bishop Mellino has been serving the Council of Cardinals as adjunct secretary.
The Cardinal’s predecessor, the Archbishop emeritus of Kinshasa, Lawrence Cardinal Monsengwo was appointed to the Council at its establishment in April 2013 and served as a member until his resignation in October 2018, a month before he retired as the Local Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Kinshasa.
Born son of a rubber tapper in DRC’s Diocese of Molegbe 60 years ago, Cardinal Ambongo took his final vows in the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (O.F.M., Cap) in 1987 and was ordained a Priest of the same order the following year.
He served as a priest for 16 years before his appointment as Bishop of Bokungu-Ikela Diocese. In November 2016, he was appointed the Archbishop of Mbandaka-Bikoro Archdiocese and in February 2018, the Coadjutor Archbishop of Kinshasa where he was installed as the Archbishop on 25 November 2018.
