Pope Appoints Obiatuegwu Auxiliary Bishop Of Orlu 

The Parish Priest, in charge of Saint Joseph's Catholic Church, Reverend, Thomas Ifeanyichukwu Obiatuegwu, has been appointed the auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Orlu, Imo State by the Catholic Pontiff and Holy Father, Pope Francis.

He is until now, the parish priest of Saint Joseph's Catholic Church Umuna, in Orlu Local Government Area,  as auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Orlu.

The Pope assigned him the titular see of Horrea Cœlia.

Msgr. Thomas Ifeanyichukwu Obiatuegwu was born on 1 January 1966 in Uli, in the State of Anambra.

He attended the minor seminary in Umuowa, the Saint Joseph Major Seminary in Ikot-Ekpene (1987-1991) and subsequently the Bigard Memorial Seminary in Enugu (1991-1995).

 He obtained a master’s degree in philosophy from the Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain (2001-2003) and a master’s degree in public management and policy from Indiana University in the United States of America (2005-2008).

He was ordained a priest on 26 August 1995 for the clergy of the diocese of Orlu.

He has held the following offices: chaplain of the hospital of Amaigbo (1995-1997); parish priest of Saint Theresa in Amauju, Isunjaba (1997-2001); parish vicar of Saint Patrick in Kokoma, Indiana, United States of America (2004-2010); chaplain of the USA Army (2010-2017); parish priest of Holy Rosary in Orlu (2017-2018); parish priest of Saint Michael in Urualla (2018-2023); dean of the Saint Michael pastoral zone (2018-2023); and since 2023, parish priest of Saint Joseph in Umuna, Orlu.