By Vatican News
Pope Francis on Wednesday appointed a new archbishop in Bloemfontein, in South Africa. He transferred Dehonian Bishop Zolile Peter Mpambani of Kokstad to Bloemfontein as metropolitan archbishop.
The appointment came soon after the Holy Father accepted the resignation of Oblate of Mary Immaculate Archbishop Jabulani Adatus Nxumalo, who reached the canonical retirement age of 75 last year.
Biography
Bishop Zolile Peter Mpambani was born on 20 February 1957, in Umlamli in the Diocese of Aliwal.
On 28 January 1982, he made his religious vows, becoming a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (also known Dehonians, after their founder Leo John Dehon, or as SCJs, the initials that stand for Sacerdotum Cordis Jesu, the congregation’s name in Latin).
He studied philosophy and theology at Saint Joseph’s Major Seminary in Cedara.
He was ordained a priest on 25 April 1987.
After his ordination, he held the following responsibilities:
1987-1990 Parish vicar of the parish of Sterkspruit
1990-1993 Parish priest in Burgerdorp
1994-1997 Master of the pre-novitiate of the SCJ province
1998-2003 General Counsellor for Africa and Madagascar at the SCJ Generalate in Rome
2004-2005 Sabbatical year
2005-2010 Master of the pre-novitiate and local superior of SCJ community in Bethulie and director of the Dehonian House in Scottsville, Pitermartizburg
2011-2013 Minister (along with the vicar general) in the parish of Sterkspruit, in the Diocese of Aliwal
Feb. – May 2013 Dehonian Provincial Superior of South Africa
6 May 2013 Appointed Bishop of Kokstad
3 August 2013 Consecrated Bishop
Within the South African Catholic Bishops’ Conference, he is responsible for formation, life and the lay apostolate.