Resignation and succession of metropolitan archbishop of Patna, India

Appointment of auxiliary of Minna, Nigeria

Resignation and succession of metropolitan archbishop of Patna, India

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Patna, India, presented by Archbishop William D’Souza, S.J.

He is succeeded by Archbishop Sebastian Kallupura, until now coadjutor archbishop of the same archdiocese.

Appointment of auxiliary of Minna, Nigeria

The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Minna, Nigeria, the Reverend Luka Sylvester Gopep, of the same diocese, unti now vicar general of Minna and parish priest of Saint Christopher in Kwamba, assigning him the titular see of Muzuca in Byzacena.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Luka Sylvester Gopep was born on 14 July 1965 in Kalin Nemel, in the diocese of Pankshin. After his primary and secondary school studies he attended the Bauchi Teacher’s College (1980-1986), obtaining the School Education Certificate. He entered the seminary and completed his studies in philosophy at Saint Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Makurdi (1989-1993) and in theology at Saint Augustine’s Major Seminary in Jos (1993-1997).

He was ordained a priest on 31 January 1998 for the diocese of Minna.

Since ordination he has held the following roles: parish vicar and subsequently parish priest of Saint Mary in Kpakungu (1998); parish priest of Christ the King (1998-2001) and rector of the Christ the King Minor Seminary in Gwada (1998-2001); parish priest of Saint Benedict in Kagara (2001-2004); administrator of the Saint Patrick parish in Zungeru (2002-2004); vocational director of the diocese of Minna (2004-2013); parish priest of Saint Mary in Suleja (2004-2012); adjunct vicar general (2011-2012) and vicar general of the diocese of Minna (2012 to the present); and parish priest of Saint Christopher in Kwamba (2013 to the present).