Edward Tamba Charles
Edward Tamba Charles is a Sierra Leonean Catholic prelate who is the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Freetown, Sierra Leone since 15 January 2011. Before that, from 15 March 2008 until 15 January 2011, he was the archbishop of the Roman Catholic [Archdiocese of Freetown and Bo], in Sierra Leone. He was appointed archbishop on 15 March 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI and was consecrated at Freetown on 14 May 2008. When the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bo was erected on 15 January 2011, he became Archbishop of Freetown.
Background and education
He was born on 18 April 1956, at Kainkordu, Diocese of Kenema, Eastern Province, Sierra Leone. He studied at Saint Kizito Minor Seminary in Kenema in 1977. He then studied at the Saint Paul's Major Seminary in Gbarnga, in Gbarnga, Bong County, Liberia from 1978 until 1985. He studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy from 1991 until 1996, where he graduated with a Licentiate in dogmatic theology. He was ordained a priest on 4 April 1986.Priesthood
On 4 April 1986, he was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Kenema, Sierra Leone. He served in that capacity until 15 March 2008.While a priest, he served in various roles and locations including:
- Vice-Administrator for the Cathedral of St. Paul from 1986 until 1989.
- Professor of Philosophy at St. Paul's Major Seminary, Gbarnga, Liberia from 1989 until 1991.
- Vice-rector of St. Paul's Major Seminary, Makeni, Sierra Leone from 1996 until 1998.
- Acting Rector of St. Paul's Major Seminary Freetown, Sierra Leone from 1998 until 2002.
- Rector of St. Paul's Major Seminary, Freetown, Sierra Leone from 2002 until 2008.