Auxiliary Bishop Yohane Nyirenda is now the Bishop of Mzuzu Diocese following the retirement of Bishop John Ryan, the Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops (MCCB) has announced.
In a statement released Tuesday, MCCB said Bishop Ryan will, in the meantime, serve as the Apostolic Administrator until the installation of Bishop Nyirenda as the bishop of the diocese.
“His Holiness Pope Francis has accepted Rt Rev John Ryan’s request to retire as the Bishop of the Diocese of Mzuzu. In this regard, Pope Francis has appointed Rt Rev Yohane Suzgo Nyirenda, currently the Auxiliary Bishop of Mzuzu, as Bishop of the See of Mzuzu.
“We join the Diocese of Mzuzu and indeed the entire Catholic Church in Malawi in congratulating the Auxiliary Bishop on this appointment. We have all the reasons to celebrate God’s goodness and care for us,” reads the statement signed by MCCB Secretary General, Fr Valeriano Mtseka.
In an interview, Mtseka said the Catholic Church allows any bishop to retire when he reaches the age of 75.
“Bishop Ryan is almost that age and that is why he asked the Pope if he can retire. But he will continue to serve as emeritus bishop of the diocese and will continue to do his priestly work,” he said.
Pope Francis appointed Fr Yohane Suzgo Nyirenda on May 5, 2023 as Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Mzuzu, and he was consecrated in August of the same year.
Meanwhile, in another statement, MCCB has indicated that Nyirenda will be consecrated as Bishop on May 3, 2025 at St Peters Cathedral in Mzuzu.
Born on June 20, 1976, Rev Fr Yohane Nyirenda hails from Wozi in Mzimba District and was ordained a priest of Mzuzu Diocese on July 19, 2008.
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