Shillong, Feb 4: Pope Francis on Saturday appointed Fr Wilbert Marwein, the parish priest of Divine Saviour Church, Nonbah, Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills as the Bishop of Nongstoin.
According to a communication of Archbishop Felix Anthony Machado, Secretary General, CBCI, addressed to all members of the hierarchy, the appointment was made public in Rome on February 4 at noon, corresponding to 16:30 hours, Indian Standard Time.
Since 2016 October, Nongstoin remained without a Bishop after Victor Lyngdoh (current Shillong Arch Bishop) was transferred to Jowai.
The Bishop-elect Marwein was born on February 17,1970 in Rangblang- Sohsyniong, in the then Archdiocese of Shillong, now Diocese of Nongstoin.
He was ordained priest on April 27, 2003 for the Archdiocese of Shillong, and in 2006, he joined the new Diocese of Nongstoin.
In 1988, he entered St. Paul’s Seminary, Upper Shillong and from 1991 to 1992 and he studied at St. Xavier Minor Seminary, Shillong.
From 1994 to 1997 he studied Philosophy at Christ King College, Shillong.
After two years of pastoral experience in Pynursla, Archdiocese of Shillong, from 1999 to 2003, he studied Theology at the Oriens Theological College, Shillong. From 2007 to 2010 he was in Rome, where he obtained a Licentiate in Missiology at the Pontifical Urban University.
After his ordination, he served as assistant parish priest at Ummulong, Archdiocese of Shillong (2003–2005) and from 2005 to 2007, he was the Procurator of the Oriens Theological College.
After his studies in Rome, from 2010 to 2015 he served as assistant parish priest in the Diocese of Cosenza, Italy. From December 2015 to October 2019, he has been the Vicar General of the Diocese of Nongstoin. Since December 2015 till date, he is the parish priest of Divine Saviour Church, Nonbah.
