Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Bamako, Mali
Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Bouaké, Cote d’Ivoire
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, U.S.A.
Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Bamako, Mali
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Bamako, Mali, presented by His Eminence Cardinal Jean Zerbo.
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Robert Cissé of Sikasso as metropolitan archbishop of the same archdiocese.
Curriculum vitae
Archbishop-elect Robert Cissé was born on 7 June 1968 in Bamako. He studied philosophy at the Saint Augustin Major Seminary of Bamako and theology at the Saint Pierre Claver Major Seminary of Koumi, in Burkina Faso.
He received priestly ordination on 10 July 1993 in Koutiala, and was incardinated in the diocese of Sikasso.
After ordination, he held the roles of parish vicar and parish priest of Sikasso (1993-2000), head of the diocesan Commission for Vocations (1993-1998), chaplain of the laity (1997-1999), national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Mali (2006-2009), and vicar general of Sikasso (2005-2011). He was awarded a doctorate in philosophy at the Pontifical Urbaniana University of Rome (2012-2017), and went on to serve as dean of the Faculty of Philosophy of the Université Catholique de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (2018-2022) and interim rector of the Saint Augustin Major Seminary of Bamako (2021-2022).
On 14 December 2022 he was appointed bishop of Sikasso, and received episcopal ordination on 11 February 2023.
Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Bouaké, Cote d’Ivoire
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Jacques Assanvo Ahiwa, until now apostolic administrator of the metropolitan archdiocese of Bouaké, Cote d’Ivoire, as metropolitan archbishop of the same archdiocese.
Curriculum vitae
Archbishop-elect Jacque Assanvo Ahiwa was born on 6 January 1969 in Kuindjabo, in the district of Aboisso, diocese of Grand-Bassam. After completing his formation at the major seminary of Bouaké and the Saint Cœur de Marie Major Seminary of Anyama, he was ordained a priest on 13 December 1997 for the diocese of Grand Bassam.
After ordination, he held the offices of parish vicar of Saint François Xavier, Aboisso (1997-1998), secretary general of the diocese of Grand Bassam and diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (1998-2002). He was awarded a master’s degree in biblical theology from the Université Catholique de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (2002-2004) and a doctorate in biblical theology in Strasbourg (2004-2011), and went on to serve as vicar general of Grand Bassam (2011-2018), and maître de conférences at the University of Strasbourg (2018-2020).
On 5 May 2020 he was elected titular bishop of Elephantaria in Mauretania and auxiliary of Bouaké; he received episcopal consecration the following 3 October and has been apostolic administrator of the same archdiocese since 2024.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, U.S.A.
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Kevin T. Kenney, of the clergy of the archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, United States of America, until now parish priest of Saint Olaf and administrator of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Minneapolis, as auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese, assigning him the titular see of Cunavia.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Kevin T. Kenney was born on 29 December 1959 in Minneapolis.
He was awarded a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Saint Thomas University in Saint Paul, completing his ecclesiastical studies at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where he was awarded a Master of Divinity, and continuing his studies at Saint Paul Seminary in Saint Paul.
He received priestly ordination on 28 May 1994, and was incardinated in the archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Saint Olaf (1994-1998), parish priest of Our Lady of Peace in Minneapolis (1998-2004), Our Lady of Guadalupe in Saint Paul (2004-2015), Saint Michael in Kenyon (2015-2019) and Divine Mercy in Faribault (2015-2019). He is currently parish priest of Saint Olaf and administrator of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Minneapolis.
