Nigerian born Monsignor Jude Okolo from the Apostolic Nunciature in Canberra has been appointed as the Nuncio for Chad and the Central African Republic, the Holy see has announced.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President, Archbishop Philip Wilson, yesterday warmly congratulated Monsignor Jude Thaddeus Okolo, an ACBC statement says.
Pope Benedict XVI made public the appointment on Saturday.
In making the appointment, Pope Benedict also elevated Monsignor Okolo to the dignity of Archbishop.
"I am delighted that Monsignor Okolo, who has served both the current and the previous Apostolic Nuncio in Australia so well, will now take on that role himself," Archbishop Wilson said.
"The Australian Catholic Bishops and all Catholic people congratulate him on this appointment.
"The Catholic community in Australia bids farewell to him sadly because his presence among us has been such a joy. We wish him well as he takes up this new challenge and assure him of our prayers."
The 51 year old Archbishop-elect was born in Kano, Nigeria and ordained a priest on July 2 1983.
He holds a Doctorate in Canon Law and entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See in 1990, serving in Sri Lanka, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Switzerland and Liechtenstein and the Czech Republic.
He has been Counsellor at Australia's Aposotlic Nunciature since 2006 and is fluent in English, Italian, Spanish, German, French, Igbo and basic Czech.
SOURCE
Monsignor Jude Okolo, counsellor at Canberra’s Apostolic Nunciature, appointed Nuncio to Chad and Central African Republic (ACBC, Media Release, 3/8/08)LINKS
