Raphael Mweempwa (born 30 March 1974) is a Zambian Catholic prelate who is the Bishop of the Diocese of Monze. He was appointed Bishop of Monze on 25 February 2022 by

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

Background and education

He was born on 30 March 1974, in the town of

Monze Monze is a prominent town in the Southern Province of Zambia, with a population of 268,432 according to the 2022 census. It is located about 180 kilometers south-west of Lusaka. It serves as the administrative center for the Monze District. The ...

, in the Diocese of Monze,

Zambia Zambia, officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central Africa, Central, Southern Africa, Southern and East Africa. It is typically referred to being in South-Central Africa or Southern Africa. It is bor ...

. He attended primary school and secondary school in his home area. He studied Philosophy at St. Augustine Major Seminary in Mpima Mission,

Kabwe District Kabwe District is a Districts of Zambia, district of Zambia, located in Central Province, Zambia, Central Province. The capital lies at Kabwe. As of the 2010 Zambian Census, the district had a population of 299,206 people.

, Central Province, Zambia from 1996 to 1998, graduating with a Diploma in Philosophy and Religious Studies. He then transferred to St. Dominic Major Seminary in Lusaka from 1998 until 2002, obtaining the

Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

in Sacred Theology. In 2002 he graduated with a Certificate in Pastoral Ministry and another in Catechesis from the ''Lumko Institute'', in South Africa. He obtained a Certificate in Psychological Counseling in 2006, in Zambia. He studied at the

Pontifical Urbaniana University The Pontifical Urban University, also called the ''Urbaniana'' after its names in both Latin and Italian, is a pontifical university that was under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The university's mission is to ...

in Rome, from 2007 until 2010, graduating with a Licentiate in

Canon Law Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...

. In 2016, he attended several courses at the

Apostolic Signatura The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura () is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church (apart from the pope himself, who as supreme ecclesiastical judge is the final point of appeal on any ecclesiastical matter). In addition, ...

and the

Roman Rota The Roman Rota, formally the Apostolic Tribunal of the Roman Rota (), and anciently the Apostolic Court of Audience, is the highest appellate tribunal of the Catholic Church, with respect to both Latin Church members and the Eastern Catholic m ...

Priesthood

He was ordained a priest on 29 June 2002 he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Monze. He served as a priest of the Diocese Monze until 25 February 2022. While he was priest he held the following offices: * Parish Vicar of St. Mary's Parish in Choma from 2002 until 2004 * Parish Priest of St. Mary's Parish in Choma from 2004 until 2007 * Member of the Diocesan Catechetical Commission from 2006 until 2007 * Parish priest of Our Lady of the Wayside in Manungu, Diocese of Monze from 2010 until 2012 * Diocesan Chancellor from 2011 until 2012 * Member of the Council for Economic Affairs from 2011 until 2019 * Vocational Director and Coordinator of the Formation Team of the Diocese of Monze from 2012 until 2016 * Member of the Presbyterial Council and of the Catechetical Commission from 2013 until 2019 * Coordinator of the Translation Team of the Diocese of Monze, from 2015 until 2019 * Professor of Canon Law and Formator at the St. Dominic Major Theological Seminary in Lusaka from 2019 until 2022.

As bishop

On 25 February 2022 Pope Francis appointed Father Raphael Mweempwa as the Bishop of the Diocese of Monze. Father Mweempwa received episcopal consecration on 7 May 2022 at the hands of Archbishop Gianfranco Gallone, Titular Archbishop of Motula, assisted by Bishop Valentine Kalumba, O.M.I., Bishop of Livingstone and Bishop Emilio Patriarca, Bishop Emeritus of Monze.

References

External links

Pope Francis appoints Rev. Fr. Raphael Mweempwa as the new Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Monze

Succession table