Fr. Roberto Bergamaschi, Apostolic Vicariate of AWASA (Ethiopia)

By Our Own Correspondent

Vatican, 29 june 2016 -- Pope Francis appointed Fr. Roberto Bergamaschi, SDB as Vicar Apostolic of the Apostolic Vicariate of Awasa in Ethiopia and at the same time assigned him the titular see of Ambia.

Fr. Bergamaschi was born in the Province of Milan, Italy on 17 December 1954, first religious profession made on 8 September 1975 and the final profession in 1981. After his studies in philosophy and theology, he was ordained a priest on the 2 October 1982 in Brescia Italy, by Bishop Armido Gasparini, MCCI (Comboni Missionaries), the first Vicar Apostolic of Awasa. Fr. Roberto started his work as a Salesian missionary in Dilla, Ethiopia after his ordination in 1982 and has served in various capacities in several dioceses or eparchies in Ethiopia.

At present time the AET Vice-province (Ethiopia) has 106 confreres and 4 novices in 13 communities. Since 2001 the Salesians of Ethiopia are in charge of Gambella Vicariate (South-West of the country, close to South Sudan) with the first Apostolic Vicar Bishop Angelo Moreschi. Among the AET Viceprovince Salesians are also two confreres from the Philippines and two from Vietnam, who have shared their joy through their photos.

In 2016 there are 125 Salesian Bishops around the world and eight missionary territories entrusted to the Congregation in three continents (ASIA: Apostolic Prefecture of Azerbaijan; AMERICA - Prelature of Mixes - Mexico; Vicariate of Ayacucho - Venezuela; Vicariate of Chaco - Paraguay; Vicariate of Macas - Ecuador; Vicariate of Pucallpa - Peru; Vicariate of El Peten - Guatemala; AFRICA - Vicariate of Gambella - Ethiopia).

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