Ngoa Ya Tshiemba becomes the new Superior of the Assumptionists

2023-06-12 15:48:46

From North Kivu to Rome. The Congregation of the Augustinians of the Assumption (owners of the Bayard group, publisher of The cross) elected, Monday June 12 in Rome, a new superior general for six years. It is Father Ngoa Ya Tshihemba, 52, from Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who will therefore succeed Frenchman Benoît Grière, after the latter spent 12 years at the head of the congregation.

Entering the congregation at the age of 25, he pronounced his first vows in 1996, before being appointed to Kinshasa, the capital of the DR-Congo (DRC) where he studied philosophy. He then continued his studies in Mexico City, at the Inter-Congregational Formation Institute, where, after his ordination in 2008, he specialized in pedagogy, defending a thesis entitled “Assessment with Competence as a Tool for Quality Improvement in Primary”. In the Mexican capital, he will also be parish priest for a year.

Master of Novices in the Philippines

It is because of his skills in education that he was appointed, in 2013, master of novices in the Philippines, and superior of a house of formation. A position he has held for ten years, until his election as Superior General. By moving to Rome, Father Ngoa Ya Tshihemba therefore continued his world tour, after having served in Africa, Central America and Asia. His election marks, in fact, a shift to the south of this congregation made up of 915 religious and 45 novices. They are distributed in 128 communities located in 33 countries.

Never before a superior general – he is the 11^e of the congregation — had come from the far south of the world. This failover “is an important sign, but it does not mean a change for the congregation”, comments, a few hours after his election, Father Ya Tshihemba. This polyglot (he speaks Swahili, Lingala, French, Spanish and English, in addition to his mother tongue, Kinande) believes that it is too early to detail his priorities, but mentions the importance of take into account “the cry of the earth”. “It is the earth that suffers, he explains, our relationship with the land given to us. It is a gift that we must take care of. »

After having elected their Superior General, the Assumptionists must now continue their work within the General Chapter which will culminate in the election of the other leaders of the Congregation.