On June 12, 2023, Father Ngoa Ya Tshihemba, 11th Superior General of the Augustinians of the Assumption (also called Assumptionists) was elected. This Congolese religious (DR Congo), 52, succeeds Father Benoît Grière, of French origin, who has just completed two six-year terms at the head of this Congregation.
The Assumptionists now have 915 religious and 45 novices spread over 128 communities in 33 countries on all continents. Father Ngoa Ya Tshihemba was born on 16 October 1970 in Mbau (North Kivu) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Born into a farming family, he is the oldest of 8 children and attends primary and secondary school in Mbau.
He made his postulate in the Kambali college and his novitiate (1995-1996) in Charles Lwanga house of Butembo (Nord-Kivu). He made his first vows on 28 August 1996.
After the novitiate, he was appointed in Kinshasa (1996-2001) where he obtained a degree in philosophy.
From 2003 to 2007 he studied theology at the Institute of Inter-congregational Theological Formation of Mexico (IFTIM), where he obtained the canonical baccalaureate in theology.
He was ordained a priest in Butembo (North Kivu) on 24 January 2008. He returned to Mexico for four years of studies in pedagogy (2009-2013) and obtained a degree in pedagogy. He began as a formator and replaced the parish priest of the Empress of America for a year.
In 2013, he was appointed in Manila (Philippines), where to date he was master of novices, responsible for formation in the Philippines and superior of a formation house.
Polyglot (in addition to Kinande, his mother tongue, speaks Swahili, Lingala, French, Spanish and English), he knows Africa, North America and Asia well. He likes to read and listen to music and walk through nature.
P. Thierry Kambale Kahongya, a.a.
