By Uwamahoro Naome,
KIGALI
The Holy Father, Pope Francis 1 has appointed Monsignor Jean Bosco Ntagungira, Bishop of Butare Diocese in Southern Province.
The news of appointment was announced by the presiding Bishop Rt Rev. Philipe Rukamba in a short message.
”Brethren, at 12 O’clock, we learnt that His Holiness Pope Francis gave us a new Bishop for Butare Diocese in the person of Jean Bosco Ntagungira. We welcome him in his honour and with joy in Butare Diocese. May God bless him in the new mission,” Bishop Rukamba announced.
Ntagungira has been serving as Parish Priest at Regina Pacis Parish in Remera, Kigali, and has been working at the Inter-diocesan Ecclesiastical Tribunal of Kigali from 2002 to date.
Born April 3, 1964 in Kigali, Mgr Ntagungira studied minor and major seminary in Rwanda and was ordained a priest on 1st August,1993. He served as the rector of Ndera minor Seminary for one year.
Between 1994-2001, Fr. Ntagungira was sent to Rome for further studies where he earned a PhD in Canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University Rome.
Upon his return to Rwanda, he was named the Chancellor of Kigali Archdiocese, and held other key appointments.
Msgr Ntagungira, 60, replaces Bishop Rukamba, 77, who has been the Diocesan Bishop of Butare since January, 1997, replacing Jean Baptiste Gahamanyi.
The Pontiff also accepted the retirement of Bishop Rukamba after he clocked the recommended age of 75 years. Congratulations Msgr Ntagungira.
