06 Sep 2021

Francistown Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church has ordained Father Anthony Rebello as the second bishop of Francistown following his appointment by Pope Francis.

In his address during the ordination ceremony in Francistown on Saturday, 70-year-old Bishop Rebello promised to serve the Lord and the Kingdom of God with dignity, respect and determination. 

 “I will serve the church with distinction as a man of God and to respect the congregation,” he said. 

 He appealed for support to serve the church in faithfulness.

 One of the congregants, Sister Otswetswe Nusindo, who could not hide her excitement said the church was happy to ordain Bishop Rebello.

 “He is the right man to serve in that position and we applauded Pope Francis to have appointed him,” she added.

Sister Nusindo further indicated that the church had been without a bishop for the past two years, saying the appointment of Bishop Rebello was a welcome development.

“Our bishop was transferred to Gaborone Dioceses and no immediate replacement was made until the appointment of Bishop Rebello which was made public in July this year,” she added. 

 Sister Nusindo noted that  Bishop Rebello had worked in Botswana for many years after being transferred from Kenya. 

 Bishop Rebello entered the society of the Divine Word (SVD) in 1969 and was ordained a priest in Goa in May 1977.

He was then awarded a licentiate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome from 1979 to 1981 and went on to serve as a missionary in Botswana, where he was parish priest in Palapye from 1981 to 1987.

He also served in Angola from 1990 to 2000.

 From 2003 he served as a missionary in Botswana in the diocese of Gaborone where he held the office of the parish priest of Palapye, Metsimotlhabe and the Holy Cross parish in Mogoditshane. 

 The event was graced by the Apostolic Nuncio and also the ambassador of Vatican to Botswana, Archbishop Peter Wells and senior priests. Ends