Pope Leo XIV has appointed Fr. Enrico Valentino Parry, until now Director of the Interregional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) Secretariat in Harare, Zimbabwe, as the new Bishop of Keimoes-Upington, South Africa.

Fr Parry succeeds Bishop Edward Gabriel Risi OMI, who died on 4 December 2025, after serving the diocese for 25 years. Since Bishop Risi’s death, Archbishop Zolile Peter Mpambani SCJ of Bloemfontein has served as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese.

A priest with extensive pastoral and academic experience

Born on 28 December 1968 in Oudtshoorn, South Africa, Father Parry was ordained a priest on 17 April 1995 at St Saviour’s Cathedral in Oudtshoorn by Bishop Edward Adams. He began his priestly ministry in the Diocese of Oudtshoorn, serving as assistant parish priest in Mossel Bay and Swellendam from 1995 to 1998.

He subsequently pursued further theological studies, obtaining a Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome in 2000. In 2006, he completed a doctorate in Systematic Theology at the University of South Africa. His doctoral thesis examined collegiality within the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) and explored the development of a local model of episcopal collegiality.

His academic and formation ministry included several appointments at St John Vianney Seminary in Pretoria, where he served as lecturer, formator, Dean of Students and, eventually, Rector from 2008 to 2011. He also lectured at St Augustine College of South Africa in Johannesburg.

Service to the Church in Southern Africa

Returning to pastoral and administrative service in the Diocese of Oudtshoorn, Fr Parry held several responsibilities between 2011 and 2023. These included serving as parish priest, financial administrator of the diocese, Chancellor and Administrator of St Saviour’s Cathedral. He also served on the College of Episcopal Consultors.

His involvement in the wider Church extended to the work of the SACBC, particularly in seminary formation, ongoing formation for priests, ecumenism and interreligious dialogue. He participated in ecumenical engagements between the Catholic Church and the Dutch Reformed Church, as well as the Anglican Communion of Southern Africa.

In November 2022, he joined the IMBISA Theological Committee. In October 2023, he moved to the IMBISA Secretariat in Harare as Coordinator of the Pastoral Department before being appointed Director of the Secretariat in October 2025.

His theological contributions have included publications and papers on ecumenism, papal ministry, collegiality, priestly formation and synodality. Among his more recent contributions was a 2025 paper on Sensus fidei and ubungoma, presented to the SACBC Theological Advisory Commission.

A diocese awaiting its new shepherd

The Diocese of Keimoes-Upington is situated in South Africa and falls under the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bloemfontein. It covers an extensive geographical territory of approximately 272,000 square kilometres.

The diocese has a history dating back to the establishment of the Apostolic Vicariate of Keimoes, which later became the Diocese of Keimoes. Its name was changed to the Diocese of Keimoes-Upington on 8 February 1985.

According to the 2023 ecclesiastical statistics, the diocese has approximately 70,276 Catholics, representing 16.4 per cent of its total population of 429,000. Its pastoral structure comprises 25 parishes served by 21 priests, including 15 diocesan priests and six religious priests. The diocese also has one permanent deacon, seven male religious and 20 female religious.

The appointment of Fr Parry brings to the diocese a priest whose ministry has encompassed parish pastoral work, priestly formation, theological research, diocesan administration, and regional ecclesial collaboration.