His Holiness, Pope Francis, has appointed the former Catholic Bishop of Umuahia and Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Lucius Ugorji, to replace the outgoing Catholic Bishop of Owerri, Anthony l Obinna.
Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi, Apostolic Nuncio (Representative of the Pope in Nigeria) made this announcement during the ongoing First Plenary meeting of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Abuja.
He said Holy Father, Pope Francis, has accepted the voluntary retirement of His Grace Most Rev. Dr Anthony Obinna as the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese.
In his place, Most Rev Dr Lucius Ugorji of Umuahia Diocese has been appointed the Archbishop of Owerri.
The respected clergy Archbishop Anthony l Obinna, who has been in that position since March 26 1994, will be replaced by Archbishop Ugorji who still remains the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese.
Ugorji is replacing Mr Obinna after the bishop reached 75 years. The mandatory retirement age for bishops in the Catholic church is 75.
