Fidèle Nsielele Zi Mputu (born 21 July 1950) is a Congolese Catholic prelate who was the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kisantu in DRC, from 10 June 1994 until his health-related early resignation on 21 November 2020. Prior to then, from 26 September 1976 until he was appointed bishop, he was a priest of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kinshasa. He was appointed bishop by Pope John Paul II on 10 June 1994. He was installed at Kisantu on 25 September 1994. His health-related resignation request was accepted by Pope Francis and took effect on 21 November 2020.
Background and priesthood He was born on 21 July 1950 at Kinshasa, Archdiocese of Kinshasa, in the Democratic Congo. He studied philosophy and theology at seminary. He was ordained a priest for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kinshasa on 26 September 1976. He served as priest until 10 June 1994.
Bishop On 10 June 1994, Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kisantu. He was consecrated as bishop on 25 September 1994 at the Kisantu Diocesan Cathedral at Kisantu. The Principal Consecrator was Cardinal Frédéric Etsou-Nzabi-Bamungwabi, Archbishop of Kinshasa assisted by Gabriel Kembo Mamputu, Bishop of Matadi, and Joachim Mbadu Kikhela Kupika, Bishop of Boma. While bishop, he was a member of the team of Catholic bishops selected by the Episcopal Conference of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (CENCO) to mediate a peace deal between the Congolese government and the opposition parties in the 2016 to 2017 time frame.
Pope Francis accepted the health-related resignation request from the pastoral care of the Episcopal See of Kisantu, presented by Bishop Fidèle Nsielele Zi Mputu on 21 November 2020. There was a period when Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Archbishop of Kinshasa served as apostolic administrator at Kisantu (21 November 2020 - 6 August 2022). On 11 June 2022, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Jean-Crispin Kimbeni Ki Kanda to succeed at Kisantu. He was installed there on 6 August 2022.
See also Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
References
Succession table
External links
Cardinal Filoni to the pastoral operators in Kisantu: "strengthen the missionary commitment and continue with courage and in depth the work of evangelization"