KIGALI MARCH 11, 2016(CISA)-Pope Francis has appointed Fr Anaclet Mwumvaneza, Secretary General of Caritas Rwanda as the new bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nyundo.

Fr Mwumvaneza takes over from Bishop Emeritus Alexis Habiyambere, SI after the Holy See accepted his resignation on March 11, 2016 in conformity with canon 401 § 1 of the Code of Canon Law. Fr Mwumvaneza was born on December 4, 1956 in Murambi, Rulindo parish in the Archdiocese of Kigali.

He attended primary school in Rulindo (1963-1969), and then went to Saint Léon minor Seminary in Kabgayi (1969-1973).

At the age of 25 he was accepted in the so-called Séminaire des Aînés in Kabgayi. After 4 years of formation he entered the Preparatory Seminary in Rutongo in the Archdiocese of Kigali (1984-1985), and then completed his studies in philosophy (1985-1987) and theology (1987-1991) at the Major Seminary in Nyakibanda, in the diocese of Butare.

He was ordained a priest on July 25, 1991 for the Archdiocese of Kigali. Since his ordination he has served the following academic and pastoral roles: 1991-1992: Assistant priest and bursar in Kabuye; 1992-2000: Pastor of the Sainte Famille parish in Kigali; since 1993 member of the Board of Consultants and the Financial Board in the Archdiocese of Kigali; 2000-2004: Studies in Rome, with a Doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University; 2004-2005: Parish priest in Kicukiro and professor of Canon Law in Nyakibanda Seminary; 2005-2013: Diocesan Director of Caritas and President of the “Justice and Peace” Commission for the Archdiocese of Kigali; 2013: appointed Defender of the Bond of the Interdiocesan Ecclesiastical Court in Rwanda; 2013: Secretary General of Caritas Rwanda.

The Diocese of Nyundo was erected in 1959 and is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Kigali.  It has an area of 4,000 square kilometers and a population of 1,597,496 inhabitants, of whom 615,118 are Catholics. There are 23 parishes, 78 diocesan priests and 44 religious priests, 152 nuns and 65 major seminarians.