Mirosław Gucwa

Mirosław Gucwa (born 21 November 1963) is a Polish-born Central African Roman Catholic prelate who has served as the bishop of Bouar in the Central African Republic since 2017. He was a priest of the Diocese of Tarnów in Poland and has spent most of his priestly ministry as a missionary in the Central African Republic.

Early life and priesthood Gucwa was born on 21 November 1963 in Pisarzowa, in the Diocese of Tarnów, Poland. He attended secondary school in Tarnów and subsequently entered the Major Seminary of Tarnów, where he studied philosophy and theology and obtained a licentiate in theology.

He was ordained a priest on 12 June 1988. From 1988 to 1992 he served as a parish vicar in Grybów. In 1992 he went to the Central African Republic as a missionary, initially serving as pastor of the Sainte Jeanne Antide parish in Bohong in the Diocese of Bouar from 1992 to 1996.

Missionary ministry In 1996 Gucwa became rector of the minor seminary of Bouar, a position he held until 2005. From 2003 to 2006 he was chancellor of the diocesan curia of Bouar. In 2006 he became vicar general of the diocese.

Episcopate On 2 December 2017, Pope Francis appointed Gucwa bishop of Bouar, succeeding Armando Umberto Gianni, O.F.M. Cap., whose resignation from the pastoral government of the diocese was accepted by the pope. At the time of his appointment, Gucwa was serving as vicar general of Bouar.

As bishop, Gucwa has continued to emphasize missionary activity, peace and interreligious dialogue in the Central African Republic. In September 2018 he participated in a formation session in Rome for bishops serving in mission territories and met Pope Francis.