Erection of the dioceses of Evinayong and Mongomo, Equatorial Guinea, and appointment of the first bishops

Appointment of bishop of Groningen-Leeuwarden, Netherlands

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Slovakia

Appointment of Consulters of the Congregation for the Clergy

Appointment of special envoy to the celebrations of the 375th anniversary of the foundation of the Shrine of Kevalaer, Germany (3 June 2017)

Erection of the dioceses of Evinayong and Mongomo, Equatorial Guinea, and appointment of the first bishops

The Holy Father has erected the two new dioceses of Evinayong and Mongomo, Equatorial Guinea, by the division of the dioceses of Bata and Ebebiyin, making them suffragans of the metropolitan see of Malabo.

The Holy Father appointed Rev. Calixto-Paulino Obono Esono Abaga, of the clergy of Bata, rector of the minor seminary and parish priest, as first bishop of Evinayong; and Rev. Fr. Juan Domingo-Beka Esono Ayang, C.M.F., bursar of the Claretian Seminary in Bata and professor at the interdiocesan major seminary, as first bishop of the diocese of Mongomo.

Finally, the Holy Father appointed Rev. Miguel Angel Nguema Bee, S.D.B., provincial superior of Tropical Equatorial Africa, as bishop of the diocese of Ebebiyin.

The newly-erected diocese of Evinayong (Latin name Evinayongen/sis/) will include the entire civil province of Centro Sur, whose principal town is the city of Evinayong. It will be a suffragan of the archdiocese of Malabo.

Statistical data:

The parish church of Evinayong, dedicated to St. Joseph, will be the Cathedral Church of the new diocese of Evinayong.

Rev.do Calixto Paulino Esono Abaga Obono

Bishop of Evinayong

The Rev.do Calixto Paulino Esono Abaga Obono was born on 17 March 1969 in Ebang-Zomo, Ebebiyin. In 1989 he entered the Juan Pablo II minor seminary, moving on to the interdiocesan La Purisima major seminary in Bata, in 1994, where he has completed his studies in philosophy and theology. He then received a licentiate in fundamental theology from the University of Navarra, Spain (2003-2005). He was ordained a priest on 22 December 2000.

After ordination, he held the following positions: Pastor of St. Miguel Arcángel Mongó Community, Niefang (2000-2003); and subsequently head of the María Reina parish; higher studies in Navarra, Spain (2003-2005); and parish priest of the María Reina parish, rector of the Juan Pablo II minor seminary of Bata, and director of the diocesan Commission for health.

The newly-erected diocese of Mongomo, (Latin name Mongomen/sis/) will include the entire civil province of Wele-Nzas. It will be a suffragan of the archdiocese of Malabo.

Statistical data:

The current Church of Mary Immaculate in Mongomo will become the Cathedral of the new diocese of Mongomo.

Rev.do Fr. Juan Domingo-Beka Esono Ayang, C.M.F.

Bishop of Mongomo

The Rev.do Fr. Juan Domingo-Beka Esono Ayang, C.M.F., was born on 18 February 1969 in Mabewele-Yenkéng in the municipality of Niefang, Bata. After secondary school, he completed his studies at the Claretian minor seminary of Malabo. After a two-year internship he entered the novitiate, during which he has completed his higher studies.

After entering the novitiate of the Claretian Fathers in Cameroon, he continued his studies in philosophy at the University of Kinshasa and in theology at the Theological Institute of Ngoya in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He obtained a licentiate in systematic theology from the Faculty of Theology of Cartuja, Granada, Spain. He professed his religious vows on 2 September 2002, and was ordained a priest on 28 September 2003.

After ordination he held the following offices: director of the Claretian College of Niefang and coadjutor of the María Reina parish (2003-2004); director of the Claretian College of Luba and coadjutor of the parish of Nuestra Señora de Monserrat (2004-2008); pastor of the Claret Shrine, Malabo (2008-2014); and further studies in Granada, Spain (2014-2016). He is currently treasurer of the La Purisima Claretian seminary in Bata (since 2016) and lecturer at various academic institutions.

Rev.do Miguel Angel Nguema Bee, S.D.B.

Bishop of Ebebiyin

The Rev.do Miguel Angel Nguema Bee, S.D.B., was born on 13 July 1969 in Bata, Equatorial Guinea. After attending primary and secondary schools in Equatorial Guinea, he was forced to flee with his family during the period of harsh anti-Christian persecution by the then dictator Francisco Macías. He found refuge in Gambia and concluded his secondary studies there. Upon returning to Guinea, he encountered the Salesian Congregation, and in 1992 he entered the Novitiate, carrying out his studies in philosophy in the Salesian seminary in Lomé, Togo, and in theology in Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He holds a licentiate in pedagogy of formation, awarded by the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome. He gave his religious vows on 19 July 1998, and was ordained a priest on 24 July 2000.

After ordination he held the following roles: collaborator at the Salesian Community of Pointe Noire, where he also held the office of treasurer (2000-2004); provincial director of the Community of Yaoundé (2004-2008); higher studies in Rome (2008-2010); and provincial vicar in Yaounde (2010-2014). Since 2014 he has served as provincial superior of Tropical Equatorial Africa for two mandates.

Appointment of bishop of Groningen-Leeuwarden, Netherlands

The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Franciscus Cornelis Maria van den Hout, vicar general of the diocese of ’s-Hertogenbosch, as bishop of Groningen-Leeuwarden, Netherlands.

Msgr. Franciscus Cornelis Maria van den Hout

Msgr. Franciscus Cornelis Maria van den Hout was born on 11 November 1964 in Tilburg. After his secondary studies he attended the High School of Agriculture in ’s-Hertogenbosch, before entering the Sint-Janscentrum seminary of the diocese of ’s-Hertogenbosch in 1987, where he carried out his philosophical and theological studies.

He was ordained a priest on 5 June 1993 and incardinated in the diocese of ’s-Hertogenbosch.

He later performed his sacred ministry for a year in Helmond, before continuing his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, obtaining a licentiate in biblical theology in 1997. Later he served as parish administrator in Tilburg and then, after 1998, parish priest of Drunen-Elshout, at the same time teaching at the Sint-Janscentrum, at the major seminary of Rolduc (diocese of Roermond) and at the Bovendonk Centre in the diocese of Breda.

In 2009 he was appointed dean of the deanery of Heusden-Waalwijk-Zaltbommel and pastor of the pastoral unit of Bommelerwaard.

In the same year he received his doctorate in theology from the University of Nijmegen.

In 2012 he was appointed vicar general of ’s-Hertogenbosch, a position he still holds, remaining at the same time pastor of the aforementioned pastoral unit of Bommelerwaard.

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Slovakia

The Holy Father has appointed as apostolic nuncio in Slovakia His Excellency Msgr. Giacomo Guido Ottonello, titular archbishop of Sasabe, currently apostolic nuncio in Ecuador.

Appointment of Consulters of the Congregation for the Clergy

The Holy Father has appointed as Consulters of the Congregation for the Clergy His Excellency Msgr. Erio Castellucci, archbishop of Modena-Nonantola; the Reverend: Msgr. Maurice Monier, pro-dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota; Msgr. Vito Angelo Todisco, prelate auditor of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota; Fr. Bruno Esposito, O.P., professor at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas; Fr. Hans Zollner, S.J., director of the Institute of Psychology of the Pontifical Gregorian University; Rev. George Augustin, S.A.C., dogmatic theologian; Msgr. Ennio Apeciti, rector of the Pontifical Lombard Seminary; Fr. Janusz Kowal, S.J., ordinary professor of the Pontifical Gregorian University; Fr. Marko Ivan Rupnik, S.J., Consulter of the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization; and the Most Illustrious: Prof. Luigi Janiri, specialist in psychiatry and psychopathology at the University of the Sacred Heart, Rome; Prof. Paolo Papanti-Pelletier, judge of the Vatican City State Tribunal.

Appointment of special envoy to the celebrations of the 375th anniversary of the foundation of the Shrine of Kevalaer, Germany (3 June 2017)

The Holy Father has appointed Cardinal Karl-Josef Rauber as his special envoy at the celebrations of the 375th anniversary of the foundation of the Shrine of Kevalaer, Germany dedicated to Our Lady of Consolation Consolatrix Afflictorum, scheduled to be held on 3 June 2017.