The Rev. Fr. Jonas Dembélé was born on May 15, 1963, in Sokoura, Mali, in the Roman Catholic Diocese of San. After finishing primary and secondary school, he entered the Major Seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bamako, in Bamako, Mali, for courses in philosophy, and afterwards attended the Seminary of Koumi, Burkina Faso (in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bobo-Dioulasso) for studies in theology. Bishop-designate Dembélé was ordained a priest on July 12, 1992. After ordination, he held the following positions: from 1992 to 1996: Vicar in the parish of Saint John Bosco of Touba, Mali; from 1996 to 2008: Pastor of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Lourdes; from 2002 to 2008: Secretary General of the Union of the Clergy of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San and of the National Union of the Clergy of Mali (UPM); from 2008 to 2010: Studies at the Institute of Pastoral Theology Lumen Vitae in Brussels, Belgium, with a 'maitrise' in Practical Theology of Société et Dévelomment (Society and Development); since 2011: Pastor of the Parish of Yasso, Mali, which is under construction. He will be ordained a bishop and installed as Bishop of Kayes in separate ceremonies in the near future. (He was consecrated and installed on May 11, 2013.)
