Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Willybard Kitogho Lagho from Kenya to a major position at the Vatican. Bishop Lagho, who currently serves in the Catholic Diocese of Malindi, will now be a member of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue — one of the key departments within the Roman Curia.
This announcement was officially made on Friday, July 4. His new role places him within one of the central administrative arms of the Catholic Church that directly assists the Pope in governing global Church affairs.
The Roman Curia is a vast and complex body that handles various church matters worldwide, and its dicasteries are specialized departments tasked with specific missions.
The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue focuses on building positive relationships and promoting understanding between the Catholic Church and people of other faiths.
It plays a major role in encouraging respectful engagement, peaceful coexistence, and collaboration between Catholics and non-Christian religious communities.
At the national level in Kenya, Bishop Lagho has long been recognized as a key figure in promoting interfaith cooperation. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Commission for Inter-religious Dialogue and Ecumenism (CIRDE) under the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB).
In addition, he is also the Chairman of the Inter-Religious Council of Kenya (IRCK), a respected national organization that works to promote religious unity and peaceful coexistence among the country’s diverse faith communities.
The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue is responsible for overseeing and guiding the Church’s efforts to engage with other religious groups in a spirit of mutual respect and friendship. Its core mission is to promote harmony, dialogue, and cooperation between people of different religious traditions.
Through organized dialogue, theological discussions, and shared spiritual experiences, the Dicastery helps foster a deeper understanding between Catholics and followers of other faiths.
It also encourages collaborative efforts for global peace, human rights, environmental protection, and the promotion of moral and spiritual values.
The Dicastery often holds academic studies and international conferences to boost knowledge, strengthen ties, and encourage mutual respect between different religious communities.
Another important function of the Dicastery is to support and train those involved in interfaith dialogue at the local level. It works closely with bishops, religious leaders, and Episcopal Conferences to ensure that those engaging in religious dialogue are well-equipped.
It also provides experts on various religious traditions and helps in coordinating interfaith relations across different regions.
To promote effective collaboration, the Dicastery forms commissions under the leadership of its Prefect. These commissions work hand in hand with local Churches, Episcopal Conferences, and structures of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
A notable commission under this dicastery is the Commission for Religious Relations with Muslims, which focuses specifically on fostering relations with Islamic communities.
In many cases, the Dicastery works jointly with other Vatican offices such as the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Dicastery for Eastern Churches, and the Dicastery for Evangelization, depending on the nature of the interreligious activities.
Bishop Lagho’s experience makes him a strong fit for this international role. He was born on March 23, 1958, and began his religious journey in Mombasa, where he was ordained as a deacon on December 21, 1985, and later became a priest on April 25, 1987.
On December 28, 2020, he was appointed Bishop of Malindi and was officially ordained on March 19 the following year.
With decades of experience in church leadership and interfaith dialogue, Bishop Lagho is expected to bring valuable insight to the Vatican. His work in Kenya, particularly in promoting peaceful religious co-existence, has prepared him well to contribute meaningfully at the global level through this new appointment.
His presence in the Dicastery will not only amplify Kenya’s voice in global Catholic affairs but also strengthen the Vatican’s ongoing efforts to build bridges of peace and understanding between different religions around the world.
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