KENEMA,JANUARY 29, 2019 (CISA)– Pope Francis on January 26, 2019 appointed Bishop Henry Aruna, as new bishop of the Catholic diocese of Kenema.
He succeeds the late Bishop Patrick Daniel Koroma who died on December 14 2018.
Until his appointment, Bishop Aruna was the auxiliary bishop of Kenema diocese.
Bishop Aruna was born on August 2, 1964 in Yemandu. He was ordained priest of Kenema diocese on April 16 1993.
He was ordained bishop of Makeni Diocese on January 5, 2013 and was later appointed Auxilliary bishop of Kenema and Titular bishop of Nasbinca on July 18, 2015.
Bishop Aruna previously served in the Diocese of Kenema from 1993 to 1994, the then Archdiocese of Freetown and Bo from 1994 to 1995, in the Diocese of Kankan in the Republic of Guinea from 1995 to 1996 and in the Diocese of Makeni from 1996 to 1999.
He served in various capacities in the pastoral field, interspersed with studies. In 1996 he entered the priestly formation ministry, at St Paul’s Major Seminary, Makeni and Freetown (Kingtom and Regent) where he served for 13 years.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Humanities, a Bachelor of Divinity degree in Theology, a Licentiate in Philosophy (M. Phil) from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, and a Masters in Education (M. Ed) from Njala University, Sierra Leone, majoring in Educational Administration.
He also holds a certificate in Counseling Skills, Christian Leadership and Spirituality from the Institute of St. Anselm in the United Kingdom.
He also served as Secretary General and National Director of Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) for the Inter-territorial Catholic Bishops’ Conference of The Gambia and Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2012, when he was appointed bishop of Makeni.
