Rome, Italy. Fr. Joseph Mbungu-Mutu, CMF, former Major Superior of Independent Delegation of Congo is appointed by Superior General, Fr. Mathew Vattamattam, CMF, as General Consultor and General Prefect of Formation, effective June 19, 2019 until the end of the sexennium.
This position became vacant on March 25, 2019 due to Pope Francis’ appointment of Msgr. Leo Dalmao, CMF, former General Consultor and General Prefect of Formation, as Prelate of the Prelature of Isabela in the Philippines. After several consultations, prayer, and discernment, Father General appoints Fr. Joseph to the said position.
Fr. Joseph was born on June 30, 1963 in Kai-Mbungu, Democratic Republic of Congo. He made his First Profession in the Congregation of Missionaries, Sons of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Claretian Missionaries) on October 2, 1988 in Akono, Cameroon and made his Final Vows on September 25, 1994 in Nkolbisson, Yaoundé, Cameroon. He was ordained a priest on July 21, 1996 in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was a missionary in Gabon from 1996 to 2000.
When he went back to Congo in 2000, he pursued Philosophical Studies (Licentiate) at the Faculty of Philosophy of St. Peter Canisius, as well as Pedagogy, Psychology and Didactics at the Faculty of Education Sciences of the University of Kinshasa. After these studies, he taught Ancient Philosophy and African Philosophy courses at the Saint Augustine University. During this period, he also collaborated in the formation of the students of his Organism. In 2004, he went to Germany for a doctoral thesis at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main.
In 2013, then General Superior, Msgr. Josep Mª Abella, CMF, appointed him as Major Superior of the recently erected Independent Delegation of Congo. He served as Major Superior for two terms (2013 – 2016 and 2016 – 2019) as well as President of the Association of Claretians in Africa (ACLA). As Major Superior of his Organism, he also attended the XXV General Chapter held in Rome in 2015.
Congratulations Fr. Joseph and all the best in your new service to the Congregation!
