Catholic Bishop Joseph Banga Bane of Buta diocese in the Democratic Republic of Congo has resigned from his pastoral duties, in a move that surprised bishops in the majority Catholic country in the heart of Africa.
According to news reports, Pope Francis accepted the May 17 resignation of the 63 years old Banga who had led the diocese in the Ecclesiastical Province of Kisangani since 1996.
“We got the same news as all people with a surprise. I do not know the reasons for the retirement of Bishop Joseph Banga Bane. This kind of matter is usually kept a secret between the owner and Vatican,” said Archbishop Marcel Utembi Tapa of Kisangani. “For now, we are invited to pray for him, for Buta diocese and for the apostolic administrator.”
In 2014, Tapa had attempted to reconcile Bane and his parishioners in the Saint Kiwanuka, a parish of the diocese, about 364 kilometres north of Kisangani.
The parish was shut for a year, but re-opened in 2015, after a memorandum of understanding between the bishop and the parishioners. It was shut after protesting faithful demanded Bane’s departure over allegations that he had misused funds made for social and spiritual projects. He had also been accused of siring a child with one of the married parishioners by one of the priests.
“We ask the Holy See to ensure that Bishop Banga returns the money claimed from him by the parish of Saint Kiwanuka, for realisation of the works, programmed for the increase of the spiritual and social good of the parishioners,” Radio Okapi quoted Patrick Awata, a spokesman of the Christians in the Parish as saying.
In 2012, the bishop wrote an opinion in The Guardian UK, praising European Union (EU) legislation that demanded transparency for international companies exploiting minerals in the DRC.
Bane had been shepherding the diocese of 311,000 Catholics, 9 priests, 28 female religious and 16 parishes, according to 2018 statistics.
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