ELLSWORTH — Bishop George Nkuo, bishop of the Diocese of Kumbo in Cameroon, will visit the priests from Cameroon currently serving in Maine in late July. A public Mass, celebrated by Bishop Nkuo and concelebrated by the priests from Cameroon, will be held at St. Joseph Church on 231 Main Street in Ellsworth on Thursday, July 27 at 9 a.m. All are welcome at the Mass and invited to a breakfast in the parish hall following the celebration.
Among the natives of Cameroon currently serving in Maine are:
- Fr. Roland Berngeh (administrator of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish in Calais),
- Fr. Hyacinth Fornkwa (administrator of Holy Spirit Parish in Wells and Kennebunk),
- Fr. Joseph Lukong (parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Ellsworth and other Hancock County churches),
- Fr. Sefembiy Justin (parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Ellsworth and other Hancock County churches),
- Fr. Athanasius Wirsiy (administrator of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish in Camden),
- Fr. Divine Fossoh (parochial vicar of St. Brendan the Navigator Parish in Camden),
- Fr. Anthony Lawir (parochial vicar of Good Shepherd Parish in Saco), and
- Fr. Cyprian Tatah (in residence at Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes).
Bishop Nkuo was ordained to the priesthood in April 1981. He was ordained a bishop and installed as the second bishop of the Diocese of Kumbo on Sept. 8, 2006. The Diocese of Kumbo has a population estimate of 867,000 and serves 11 ethnic groups, each with their own language and dialects: the Nso’, Oku, and Noni Tribes in Bui Division; and the Wimbum, Mbembe, Jukum, Nchanti, Mfumte, Yamba, Mbaw and Mambila Tribes in the Donga-Mantung Division. Like the Diocese of Portland, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is honored as the patron saint of the diocese.
