Appointment of bishop of Valence, France
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Orlu, Nigeria
Appointment of bishop of Valence, France
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Msgr. François Durand, until now vicar general and parish priest-moderator of Saint-Privat of Mende, as bishop of Valence, France.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. François Durand was born on 14 November 1973 in Langogne, in the diocese of Mende. He. Studied at the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA) in Lyon, obtaining a diploma in engineering. After a year of civil service in a public school in Langogne, and work experience in Paris and Seville, Spain, he began his preparation for the priesthood, following the Groupes de Formation Universitaires (GFU) for around six years. In 1998, he entered the seminary of Avignon, passing in 2000 to the University Seminary of Lyon.
He was ordained a priest on 30 June 2002, and incardinated in the diocese of Mende.
After ordination, he first served as parish vicar of Mende and diocesan head of youth pastoral care (2002-2009). He studied at the Université Catholique de Lyon from 2009 to 2010, and served as parish priest in solidum of Saint-Chély-d’Apcher, diocesan head of ongoing formation, and representative for youth pastoral care (2010-2013). In 2011 he was awarded a doctorate in theology at the Université Catholique de Lyon, where he taught pastoral theology from 2012 to 2014. Since 2013, he has been vicar general of Mende and moderator of the diocesan Curia; and since 2017, parish priest-moderator of Saint-Privat of Mende.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Orlu, Nigeria
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Thomas Ifeanyichukwu Obiatuegwu, of the clergy of Orlu, Nigeria, until now parish priest of Saint Thomas in Umuna, as auxiliary bishop of the same diocese of Orlu, assigning him the titular see of Horrea Cœlia.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Thomas Ifeanyichukwu Obiatuegwu was born on 1 January 1966 in Uli, in the State of Anambra. He attended the minor seminary in Umuowa, the Saint Joseph Major Seminary in Ikot-Ekpene (1987-1991) and subsequently the Bigard Memorial Seminary in Enugu (1991-1995). He obtained a master’s degree in philosophy from the Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain (2001-2003) and a master’s degree in public management and policy from Indiana University in the United States of America (2005-2008).
He was ordained a priest on 26 August 1995 for the clergy of the diocese of Orlu.
He has held the following offices: chaplain of the hospital of Amaigbo (1995-1997); parish priest of Saint Theresa in Amauju, Isunjaba (1997-2001); parish vicar of Saint Patrick in Kokoma, Indiana, United States of America (2004-2010); chaplain of the USA Army (2010-2017); parish priest of Holy Rosary in Orlu (2017-2018); parish priest of Saint Michael in Urualla (2018-2023); dean of the Saint Michael pastoral zone (2018-2023); and since 2023, parish priest of Saint Joseph in Umuna, Orlu.
