Oldest Cameroonian Spritan Priest and first Cameroonian Bishop of Bafia passes on

By Jude Abanseka

The first Cameroonian Bishop of the diocese of Bafia Mgr. Athanase Bala, is no more. He died on September 3, 2019 at the age of 92.

Mgr Athanas Bala

Mgr. Athanase Bala was born on March 2, 1927 in Nlong, Centre Region. He was ordained priest on July 1955. On May 3, 1976 he was named Co-adjutor Bishop of Bafia and ordained Bishop on September 26 same year. He was Cameroon's first Catholic Bishop from the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. He was appointed Bishop of Bafia in 1977 to succeed Bishop André Loucheur, as the first Cameroonian and second bishop of the diocese of Bafia. He took charge of the local church of Bafia on December 21, 1977. He retired in 2003 after 26 years of shepherding God’s people in the diocese of Bafia. His successor was Mgr. Jean-Marie Benoît Balla who died in 2017 under very controversial conditions. 

Mgr. Athanas Bala was retired yet not tired

As an emeritus, Mgr. Athanase Bala chose to live in the archdiocese of Yaounde. It was a very laborious retreat as much as he was very available, strong and still very active. He departs without ever having stopped serving for long. Mgr. Athanase Bala died on September 3, 2019 the month he was ordained Bishop. Before his death, he was the oldest Cameroonian Spiritan.