Vatican City, 18 June 2016 – The Holy Father appointed Fr. Valentine KALUMBA, O.M.I., as bishop of Livingstone, Zambia (area 58,200 km2; population 428,890; Catholics 91,711; priests 32; religious 92).
The bishop-elect was born in Mufulira, Zambia in 1967; he made his religious vows in 2002 and was ordained a priest in 2005. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including assistant bursar and parish vicar, parish priest, director of the Oblate Radio Liseli in Mongu, and bursar of the Centre of Philosophical Formation in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. He is currently vicar superior of the Delegation of Oblates in Zambia and pastor of St. Theresa’s parish, Kabwe, Zambia. He succeeds Bishop Raymond Mpezele, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father. (www.vatican.va)
The Livingstone Diocese was originally a part of the Zambesi Mission and then of the Prefecture Apostolic of Broken Hill (Kabwe). The Irish Capuchins arrived in 1931 and took responsibility for this area. A flourishing Christianity developed mainly by establishing schools and by pastoral work. A great support both in education and in pastoral work also came from the Holy Cross Sisters who joined the Capuchins in 1936.
In 1936, Livingstone became a Prefecture Apostolic and in 1950, a Vicariate Apostolic and then a diocese. Bishop Valentine becomes the third bishop of the diocese which lost territory at the founding of the diocese of Mongu in 1997. The current bishop of Mongu is Oblate Bishop Evans CHINYEMBA, former General Councillor, who, in 2011, succeeded the late Oblate Bishop Paul DUFFY.
Within the Livingstone diocese, the Oblates are in charge of St. Leopold Parish in Shangombo.
