Bishop of Bambari
Bertrand Guy Richard Appora-Ngalanibé, O.P., is Bishop of Bambari, Central African Republic. Richard Appora, O.P., was born on 3 April 1972 in Bangui. He studied in his homeland and in Côte d'Ivoire at the Catholic University of West Africa (UCAO); in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the Catholic University of Congo (UCC); in Cameroon at the Catholic University of Central Africa (UCAC); and in Congo-Brazzaville at the Free University of Congo in Brazzaville. He holds a Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA) in Civil Law and a licentiate in Moral Theology and in Philosophy. He made solemn profession in 2001 and was ordained a priest on 1 November 2004. He then held the following positions: licentiate studies in Theology at the University of Central Africa, UCAC, in Yaoundé (2004-2006); university chaplain and parochial vicar at the university parish of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Douala (2006-2008); head of studies in the Vicariate of the Dominican Fathers of Central Africa, covering Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, and Central Africa (2006-2010); lecturer in fundamental Moral Theology at the Ecole Cathédrale de Théologie in Douala (2007-2008); civil-law studies at the Free University of Congo in Brazzaville (2008-2010); university chaplain in Brazzaville, lecturer in the Major Seminary of Brazzaville, and member of the formation team of the inter-novitiate (2008-2012); law studies at the Catholic University of West Africa (UCAO) (2010-2011); from 2012, superior of the Dominican Fathers' community in Bangui and lecturer at Saint Marc Major Seminary in Bangui; from 2013, spiritual director at Saint Marc Major Seminary in Bangui and at the Propaedeutic Seminary of Bangui; from 2014, president of the Conference of Major Superiors of Central Africa.