At Priestly Anniversary, Cameroonian Catholic Bishop Lauded for “perseverance, dedication”

He noted that Bishop Bibi lives for “nothing else but for the church and the people whom God has entrusted to his care. This man loves the church, and he believes in the church as his mother.”

He praised the Diocese of Buea for forming a “human fence” around their Bishop, providing support and protection during times of spiritual and physical challenges.

“The priesthood is a call to ministry and service of God’s people… When both the Clergy and the laity work together, the Church grows enormously,” Archbishop Nkea said.

The Local Ordinary of Bamenda Archdiocese, who doubles as President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon (NECC) praised Bishop Bibi’s enduring connection to the local church in Bamenda, calling the metropolitan cathedral of St. Joseph “not just a church made of colored stones, a building of great pillars… This cathedral is a symbol of the unity of God’s people in Bamenda, gathered together in prayer, people of God together with all the priests, religious, around their bishop.”

He further expressed gratitude for Bishop Bibi’s ministry, saying, “Bishop Bibi has come back to this church to say thank you because we were with him from the beginning. When he was baptized, he was a Christian with us in this church. When he was ordained, he was a Priest for us in this church. And when he was a Bishop, we mandated him to go to Buea. Thank you, Bishop Bibi, for honoring us with this visit.”

“We continue to pray for Bishop Bibi, that his faith may never fail, and that when he is strong, as he is now, he will continue to strengthen his brothers and sisters in the Diocese of Buea and beyond,” the Cameroonian Archbishop said.

He implored, “May God’s abundant blessings descend on Bishop Bibi, on his work, his ministry, his personal Christian life, and may the blessing of God remain on him forever and ever.”

Ordained a Priest of the Archdiocese of Bamenda in April 2000, Bishop Bibi is the youngest Catholic Prelate in the Central African nation.

He holds a master’s degree in Theology, with specialization in Catechetics from Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, England. He is also an alumnus of St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary of Bambui in Bamenda, where he studied Philosophy and Theology.

Before he was appointed a Bishop, the Cameroonian Prelate had served in various positions, among them Chaplain of the Sacred Heart College, Mankon in the Archdiocese of Bamenda, Assistant Archdiocesan Financial Secretary, Special Assistant to the Archbishop, and Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Bamenda.

He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Cameroon’s Bamenda Archdiocese in January 2017.

He was transferred to Buea Diocese as Apostolic Administrator in December 2019 and confirmed as the fifth Local Ordinary of the Cameroonian Episcopal See in January 2021.

In his speech during the December 5 event, Bishop Bibi expressed gratitude to God, his family, mentors, and the faithful for their continuous support and prayers.

To Archbishop Nkea, he said, “You have always been there behind me to support me, to pray with me, to advise me, and I am very, very grateful for the sacrifices that you make as far as my ministry is concerned.”

He extended his gratitude to fellow Priests, Consecrated Persons, and lay faithful for their unwavering support over the years. 

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“There would have been no fitting way for me to say thank you to God without participating in a celebration of this nature, which itself is an act of thanksgiving for all that He has done and continues to do in our lives,” Bishop Bibi said.

“I want to thank my family members, especially my mother, who has been what we used to call the Iron Lady, always encouraging us not to play with our faith,” he said.

Bishop lauded the people of God in Buea Diocese for their sacrifices and unwavering support, noting that “the Priests, the religious, the members of Christ’s faithful, and Catechists all decided not to allow me to come here alone like an orphan.”

“I am still ready to continue to render that service to the people of God, and I will serve them till my head will go. I will never relent. The priesthood is about you,” he said. 

He urged the people of Gof to continue supporting Priests, Bishops, and women and men Religious through prayer, reminding them that unity in faith is a shield against the devil.

“May God continue to be with us to assist us as we strive daily to carry out His will in our lives. May God bless you all,” Bishop Bibi implored.