Monsignor Ambrose Madtha Appointed Nuncio In Ivory Coast

NEW DELHI, MAY 09, 2008, 09.50 Hrs (CBCI News):

Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Msgr. Ambrose Madtha as Apostolic Nuncio in Ivory Coast, Africa.

At the time of his new appointment, Msgr. Madtha has been the Head of the Mission Taiwan.

The small Catholic Christian Community of the Diocese of Lucknow was most joyously thrilled on hearing the news of the appointment.

Ivory Coast is a French-speaking country of about 17 million people bordered by Ghana, Liberia and Burkina Faso on the South Atlantic coast in Africa.

Born in Belthangady in Karnataka, the 54-year old Archbishop-Elect became a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Lucknow in 1982.

As a young priest he was the Vice Principal of St. Francis College in

the city after obtaining his Masters and B. Ed degrees. He then went to Rome where he obtained a Doctorate in Canon Law.

He was then called to join the Vatican Diplomatic Service. During the

19 years that he spent as a Vatican Diplomat Msgr. Ambrose Madtha worked in the Vatican Embassies in Ghana, El Salvador, Georgia,Azhairbajan, Albania and Taiwan, where he was also the Head of the Mission.

A multilingual person, he speaks more than 10 languages among which are Italian, German, French, Spanish, Russian, Albanian and Chinese, besides English, Hindi, Konkani and Kannada.

An added feather in the cap of the Christian Community in India is the fact that there are already 6 Indians who are Vatican Ambassadors in the various countries in the world and Archbishop Ambrose Madtha will be the 7th Papal Nuncio.

Sent by Fr Donald H. R. De Souza
Spokesperson, Catholic Diocese of Lucknow