Pope Francis’ made appointments in Botswana, Ecuador, and Zimbabwe, announced July 5, 2021, by the Vatican.
Appointment of bishop of Hwange, Zimbabwe
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Hwange, Zimbabwe, presented by Bishop José Alberto Serrano Antón, I.E.M.E.
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the same see the Reverend Raphael Macebo Mabuza Ncube, until now spiritual director of the National Seminary of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More of Chishawasha.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Raphael Macebo Mabuza Ncube was born in Nkayi, archdiocese of Bulawayo, on 4 October 1973 and entered the preparatory seminary of Mazowe (1993-1994). He received his philosophical formation in Saint Augustine’s Regional Major Seminary in Bulawayo (1994-1996). From 1997 to 2000 he carried out his studies in theology in the National Seminary of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More, obtaining the Baccalaureate.
He was ordained a priest on 3 February 2001 for the archdiocese of Bulawayo.
After ordination, he served as parish vicar and parish priest at Embakwe Mission, Plumtree (2001-2003); rector of Saint Bernard’s Minor Seminary, archdiocese of Bulawayo (2003-2007); and parish priest of Saint Bernard’s, Pumula and Saint Adolph Ludigo, Magwegwe (2004-2005). He was awarded a licentiate and doctorate at the Pontifical Theological Faculty-Pontifical Institute of Spirituality Teresianum, Rome (2008-2015). He went on to serve as spiritual director of Saint Augustine’s Regional Major Seminary (2011-2016). From 2016 until now he has been spiritual director of the National Seminary of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More in Chishawasha.
Resignation and appointment of vicar apostolic of Esmeraldas, Ecuador
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the apostolic vicariate of Esmeraldas, Ecuador, presented by Bishop Eugenio Arellano Fernández, M.C.C.J.
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Antonio Crameri, S.C.C., as vicar apostolic of the same vicariate, transferring him from the titular see of Apollonia and from the office of auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Guayaquil.
Appointment of archbishop ad personam
The Holy Father has conferred the title of archbishop ad personam to Bishop Franklyn Atese Nubuasah, S.V.D., of the diocese of Gaborone, Botswana.
Appointment of bishop of Francistown, Botswana
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Francistown, Botswana, the Reverend Fr. Anthony Pascal Rebello, S.V.D., until now parish priest of the Holy Cross parish in Mogoditshane.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Anthony Pascal Rebello, S.V.D., was born on 18 March 1950 in Nairobi, Kenya. In 1969 he entered the Society of the Divine Word, completing his noviciate in Khurda, Madhya Pradesh, India. He concluded his priestly formation at the Divine Word Seminary of Pune (1969-1977).
He gave his religious vows in 1976 and was ordained a priest on 10 May 1977, in India.
Following his ordination, he first exercised his pastoral ministry in India and obtained a Bachelor of Education (1977-1979). He was then awarded a licentiate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome (1979-1981), and went on to serve as a missionary in Botswana, where he was parish priest in Palapye (1981-1984), in Kenya, where he also held the office of provincial superior (1984-1987), in Antigua, where he exercised his ministry in a rural parish and then in the Holy Family Cathedral (1987-1990); and in Angola, where he held the roles of parish vicar (1990-1992), parish priest (1992-1996) and master of novices (1996-2000). He then continued his pastoral ministry in India (2000-2002). Since 2003 he has served as a missionary in Botswana, in the diocese of Gaborone, where he has held the office of parish priest of Palapye and Metsimotlhabe, and until now in the Holy Cross parish in Mogoditshane.
Appointment of bishop of Tulcán, Ecuador
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Tulcán, Ecuador, the Reverend Msgr. Luis Bernardino Núñez Villacís, of the clergy of Ambato, until now vicar general of the same diocese and parish priest of San Antonio de Padua in Ambato.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Luis Bernardino Núñez Villacís was born on 27 May 1963 in San Juan Bautista de Ambato, in the diocese of Ambato. He attended the Seminario Mayor San José in Quito and carried out his ecclesiastical studies in philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (1983-1990), where he subsequently obtained a master’s degree in theology. He was also awarded a licentiate in pastoral theology from the Theological Faculty of Triveneto in Padua (2006) and attended courses in missionology and family pastoral care at the Instituto Teológico Pastoral para América Latina (ITEPAL) in Bogotá, Colombia.
He was ordained a priest on 29 June 1990 and incardinated in the diocese of Ambato, where he served as parish priest in various parishes, professor in the Seminario Mayor Cristo Sacerdote, vice rector of the Seminario Menor San Pio X, vicar for rural pastoral care and member of the presbyteral council.
Until now he has served as vicar general of the diocese of Ambato and parish priest of San Antonio de Padua in Ambato.
