A Jesuit priest from India was chosen to run the Catholic Diocese of Rumbek until the Holy See appoints a permanent administrator.
The clergy and missionary priests of the diocese voted Fr. Salvadore Ferrao, parish priest of St. Theresa’s Parish in Rumbek, as the diocesan administrator.He will be assisted by a team of four consultors.
The elected administrator is however awaiting the approval of his Provincial Superior before officially assuming the position.
The five-priest body is tasked with the mission to keep the different diocesan institutions running until the Holy See appoints either a bishop or an apostolic administrator to succeed Bishop Caesar Mazzolari.
The bishop passed away all of a sudden one week ago.
However, Rumbek diocese should have a new bishop very soon since the process to appoint a coadjutor bishop was already under way at the request of bishop Mazzolari.
The papal ambassador in Khartoum Archbishop Leo Boccardi is in the Vatican since the beginning of the week.
It is believed that the nuncio brought with him the answers a number of church leaders gave about queries on three possible candidates to the Rumbek bishopric.