Coadjutor Bishop of Bangassou
Aurelio Gazzera, O.C.D., was born on May 27, 1964, in Cuneo, Italy, and entered the Discalced Carmelite Minor Seminary in Arenzano in 1974. In 1979, he made his simple profession in the Discalced Carmelite Order (Province of Genoa); subsequently, he spent a year of formation with the Central African Carmelite Delegation and made his solemn profession on October 11, 1986. He pursued studies in philosophy and theology at the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy (Genoa Section) and was ordained a priest on May 27, 1989. After serving as a formator at the Discalced Carmelite Minor Seminary in Arenzano, he began his mission in the Central African Republic. He held the following positions: Assistant at the Yole Minor Seminary (1992–1994), Director of the first cycle at the same Minor Seminary (1994–2003), Parish Priest of San Michele in Bozoum (2003–2020), and Superior of the Discalced Carmelite Delegation in the Central African Republic (2014–2020). Since 2003, he has been the head of Caritas Bouar; since 2020, he has been a member of the Baoro community, responsible for the Christians in the savanna villages and Director of the Baoro Mechanics School.