AFRICA/GABON – Appointment of the Bishop of Franceville

Vatican City – On November 4, 2017, the Holy Father appointed as Bishop of the diocese of Franceville , the Rev. Jean-Patrick Iba-Ba, currently rector of the “Saint Augustin” national major seminary in Libreville.
The new Bishop was born on 18 April 1966 in Libreville. He attended primary school from 1973 to 1979 in Port-Gentil; then, from 1979 to 1989, secondary school in Libreville. His formation to priesthood began at Cardinal Emile Biayenda Major Seminary, in Brazzaville, capital of Congo, where his Archbishop had sent him. In the years 1993-1998 he attended the Urbaniana University in Rome, as a pupil of the Pontifical Urbano College. He was ordained a priest on July 19, 1998 for the Archdiocese of Libreville.
Since his ordination he has carried out the following pastoral and academic roles: 1998-1999: Vice-Rector of Saint Augustin Major Seminary in Libreville; 1999-2001: Rector of Saint Jean Minor Seminary in Libreville; 2001-2004: Parish priest of Saint Michel parish of Ndjole; 2004-2009: Degree in Canon Law at the Pontifical Urbaniana University; 2009-2012: Vice-Rector of Saint Augustin Major Seminary in Libreville; 2010-2012: Adjunct National Director of Catholic Schools and General Chaplain of Catholic Education Institutes; from 2012 to present Rector of the Saint Augustin national major seminary in Libreville.