New Shendam Catholic Diocese bishop, Dung assumes office

The newly appointed bishop of Shendam Catholic Diocese, Philip Davou Dung has assumed office after his installation on Wednesday at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Shendam, south of Plateau State.

The new bishop’s appointment by the catholic holy father, Pope Francis was announced on November 5, last year, after the first bishop, James Nanman Daman died in his sleep on January 12, 2015.

The new diocese, carved out of the Jos Arch Diocese in 2007, has been administered since 2015 by a diocesan administrator, Fr. Raymond Gofut.

Shendam covers the entire south of Plateau, stretching six local government areas, namely Wase, Langtang-North, Langtang South, Mikang, Kanke, Qua’an-Pan, as well as Shendam.

The new Bishop was before his appointment the parish priest of St Joseph’s Parish, Du, Archdiocese of Jos. His resume says Dung was born on 19th August 1958 at Kuru Station Wereng Riyon Local Government, Plateau State.

He did his primary education at R.C.M Primary School Kuru Station, Wereng (1965-1972) and completed his religious formation at St John Vianney Minor Seminary, Barkin Ladi (1973-1977). He studied Philosophy and Theology at St Augustine’s Major Seminary, Jos, and was ordained priest on 24th November 1984 and incardinated into Jos Archdiocese. He did his higher studies in Moral Theology at the Pontifical Accademia Alfonsiana in Rome (1992-1994) and obtained a Master’s degree in Moral Theology.