Pope Francis appoints new bishop for Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, as AJV Obinna bows out

His Holiness, Pope Francis, has appointed Most Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Lucius Ugorji, a former Catholic Bishop of Umuahia and Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese, to succeed Anthony l Obinna, the outgoing Catholic Bishop of Owerri.

Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi, Apostolic Nuncio (Representative of the Pope in Nigeria), made the news at the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria’s First Plenary Meeting in Abuja.

He stated that Pope Francis has accepted His Grace Most Rev. Dr Anthony Obinna’s voluntary retirement as Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri.

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 replace by Archbishop Ugorji who still remains the Apostolic Administrator of Ahiara Diocese.

Ugorji is replacing Mr Obinna after the bishop reached 75 years in . The mandatory retirement age for bishops in the Catholic church is 75.