By Odiwuor Opiyo
LOUBOMO, MAY 13, 2022 (CISA) – Pope Francis has appointed Rev Fr Toussaint Ngoma Foumanet, C.S.Sp. as the bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Dolisie in the Republic of Congo, the Holy See Press Office announced on May 11.
Msgr. Toussaint Ngoma Foumanet, C.S.Sp., was until his appointment the provincial superior of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit in Congo as well as the coordinator of the Union of the Spiritan Circumscriptions of Central Africa (UCSAC).
Born on November 1, 1975, in Sibiti, in the then-diocese of Nkayi, Msgr. Foumanet entered the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) in 1988, continuing to study philosophy in Libreville, Gabon, between 1999 and 2002.
He undertook his Theological studies in Douala, Cameroon, at Saint Cyprien after his year-long novitiate in Mbalmayo, Cameroon; beginning in 2004 until he completed in 2008. He was ordained a priest on July 26, 2008, in Pointe-Noire, Congo Brazzaville.
Msgr. Foumanet who professed his religious vows on September 14, 2007, has since then worked as a counsellor to the regional Superior, parish vicar (2008-2009) and parish priest (2009-2011) of the Holy Spirit in Pissa, diocese of Mbaïki, Central African Republic.
Moreover, the 47-year-old Spiritan missionary has previously been the dean of Mbaïki and studied law at the University of Bangui (2009-2011); parish priest of Notre Dame d’Afrique, in the metropolitan archdiocese of Bangui, Central African Republic; first provincial assistant and chargé for confrères in loco (2011-2016); and dean of Notre Dame d’Afrique (2013-2016). He became the Provincial superior of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans) in the Congo and coordinator of the Union of Spiritan Circumscriptions in Central Africa (UCSAC) from 2016 until his appointmet as bishop.
He succeeds Rt. Rev. Bienvenu Manamika Bafouakouahou, the first bishop of the diocese. Bishop Bafouakouahou was later appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Brazzaville on April 18, 2020, and assumed the shepherdship of the Metropolitan See on November 21, 2021.
