Bishop of catholic church in Kuwait passes away

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KUWAIT CITY, Apr 13: Kuwait’s catholic church left a message on their website stating “With deep sadness we inform our faithful of the passing away of H.L. Bishop Camillo Ballin, MCCJ on April 12, 2020. May his soul rest in peace. Details will be given later.”

Bishop Camillo Ballin was diagnosed for lung cancer over a month. He was undergoing intense and long treatment in Italy

Bishop Camillo Ballin was born on June 24, 1944, in Fontaniva, Padua, Italy. His parents were Lucia and Angelo Ballin.

He made his first religious profession (Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus) in 1965 and his perpetual profession on September 9, 1968. He was ordained Priest of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus on March 30, 1969 at Castelleto sul Garda, Verona.

After his ordination, in 1970, he learned Arabic in Lebanon and Syria.

Bishop Ballin started his priestly apostolate in the Latin parish of St. Joseph, Zamalek, Cairo in 1971. The following year, he was appointed Parish Priest (1972-1977).

From 1977 to 1980, he was in Lebanon (Kaslik) and Rome (Pontificio Instituto Orientale) for his Licentiate in Oriental liturgy.

From 1981 to 1990, he was professor at the Institute of Theology in Cairo and Delegation Superior and Provincial Superior of his religious congregation in Egypt.

In 1990, he was assigned to the province of Sudan where he opened a Training Institute for the Formation of Religion Teachers in Schools (1990-1997).

From 1997 till 2000, he was in Rome for his doctorate on the Church history of Sudan especially in the Mahdiyyah time (1881-1898 – during that period, practice of any other religion, except the Mahdist Islam, was strictly forbidden) His research was on how Christians and Jews lived in those years of persecution.

Since 2000, he has been Director of the Dar Comboni Center of Arab and Islamic Studies in Cairo, Egypt and Professor of Church History in the Inter-Rite Major Seminary.

In 2004, he published two of his many written works in Arabic: “The Ways of the Spirit” and “History of the Church”. The first explores, in depth, the Rule of St. Pacomius as the founder of communitarian monastic life. His second publication is a treatise on the history of the Church from its inception to the 15th century, and, though meant for people at large, it is particularly aimed at explaining the life of the Church to the Arab world, with special reference to the Eastern Church.

On July 14, 2005, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI appointed Monsignor Ballin as (Fourth) Vicar Apostolic of Kuwait and assigned to him the Titular See of Arna. He joined the Vicariate on August 2, 2005.

He was consecrated Bishop by His Eminence Crescenzio Cardinal Sepe at the Holy Family Cathedral, Kuwait City on September 2, 2005.

On May 31, 2011, His Lordship Bishop Camillo Ballin became the first Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia. He oversees the territories of Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

As evident from his motto: IN VERBO TUO, Bishop Ballin has embraced the challenges of missionary life, having totally entrusted himself to the Word of Jesus, “Master, on Your word I will throw the nets.” (Luke 5:5) Following in the footsteps of Saint Daniel Comboni, the founder of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus, he is particularly dedicated to bringing God’s love, peace and mercy to all.

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