Martin named Armagh Coadjutor Archbishop

Archbishop-elect Eamon Martin was named Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh, Ireland.

Koch named Dresden-Meissen Bishop

Bishop Heiner Koch was named Bishop of Dresden-Meissen, Germany.

The diocese had been vacant since the retirement of Bishop Joachim Friedrich Reinelt in February 2012.

Bishop Koch had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Köln {Cologne}.

Gueye named Thiès Bishop

Bishop-elect André Gueye was named Bishop of Thiès, Senegal.

The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Jacques Yandé Sarr in January 2011.

Naguib retired, Sidrak confirmed as Coptic Patriarch

Antonios Cardinal Naguib retired and Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak was confirmed as Patriarch of Alexandria {Alessandria} (Coptic), Egypt.

Patriarch Sidrak had been serving as Bishop of Minya {Ermopoli Maggiore; Minieh}.

Balvo named Keyna Nuncio

Archbishop Charles Daniel Balvo was named Apostolic Nuncio to Kenya.

The post had been vacant since Archbishop Alain Paul Charles Lebeaupin was named Apostolic Nuncio to European Union in June 2012.

Archbishop Balvo had been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand and to several other countries in the Pacific (Oceania) area.

Marino named Malaysia and Timor-Leste Nuncio

Archbishop Joseph Salvador Marino was named Apostolic Nuncio to Malaysia, Apostolic Nuncio to Timor-Leste, and Apostolic Delegate to Brunei Darussalam.

He had been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Bangladesh.

Timanywa retired, Rwoma named Bukoba Bishop

Bishop Nestorius Timanywa retired and Bishop Desiderius M. Rwoma was named Bishop of Bukoba, Tanzania.

Bishop Rwoma had been serving as Bishop of Singida.

Parrilla Díaz named Riobamba Bishop

Bishop Julio Parrilla Díaz was named Bishop of Riobamba, Ecuador.

The diocese had been vacant since the retirement of Bishop Victor Alejandro Corral Mantilla in February 2011.

Bishop Parrilla Díaz had been serving as Bishop of Loja.

Ramirez retired, Cantú named Las Cruces Bishop

Bishop Ricardo Ramirez, C.S.B. retired and Bishop Oscar Cantú was named Bishop of Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA.

Bishop Cantú had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio, Texas.

Khoury retired, Tabet named Saint-Maron de Montréal Bishop

Bishop Joseph Khoury retired and Bishop-elect Marwan Tabet, M.L. was named Bishop of Saint-Maron de Montréal (Maronite), Canada.

Leahy named Limerick Bishop

Bishop-elect Brendan Leahy was named Bishop of Limerick, Ireland.

The diocese had been vacant since the resignation of Bishop Donal Brendan Murray in December 2009

Punnakottil retired, Madathikandathil named Kothamangalam Bishop

Bishop George Punnakottil retired and Bishop-elect George Madathikandathil was named Bishop of Kothamangalam (Syro-Malabarese), India.

Galante resigned, Sullivan named Camden Bishop

Bishop Joseph Anthony Galante resigned and Bishop Dennis Joseph Sullivan was named Bishop of Camden, New Jersey, USA.

Bishop Sullivan had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of New York, New York.

Thevenin named Guatemala Nuncio

Archbishop-elect Nicolas Henry Marie Denis Thevenin was named Apostolic Nuncio to Guatemala.

The post has been vacant since Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher was named Apostolic Nuncio to Australia in December 2012.

Gobel named Egypt Nuncio

Archbishop Jean-Paul Aimé Gobel was named Apostolic Nuncio to Egypt, Arab Republic of.

The post had been vacant since the resignation of Archbishop Michael Louis Fitzgerald, M. Afr. in October 2012.

Archbishop Gobel had been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Iran.

Wiesner retired, Jensen named Prince George Bishop

Bishop Gerald William Wiesner, O.M.I. retired and Bishop-elect Stephen Jensen was named Bishop of Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.

Talley named Atlanta Auxiliary

Bishop-elect David P. Talley was named Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta, Georgia, USA and titular bishop of Lambaesis.

Brenes Álvarez resigned as Ciudad Quesada Bishop

Bishop Oswaldo Brenes Álvarez resigned as Bishop of Ciudad Quesada, Costa Rica.

Gboko, Nigeria erected, Avenya named Bishop

The Diocese of Gboko, Nigeria was erected with territory taken from Makurdi.

Bishop William Amove Avenya was named its first Bishop. He had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Makurdi.

Katsina-Ala, Nigeria erected, Adoboh named Bishop

The Diocese of Katsina-Ala, Nigeria was erected with territory taken from Makurdi.

Bishop-elect Peter Iornzuul Adoboh was named its first Bishop.

Goh named Singapore Coadjutor Archbishop

Archbishop-elect William Goh was named Coadjutor Archbishop of Singapore.

Vu Dình Hiêu named Bùi Chu Coadjutor

Bishop Thomas Vu Dình Hiêu was named Coadjutor Bishop of Bùi Chu, Viêt Nam.

Bishop Vu Dình Hiêu had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Xuân Lôc.

Martín Rábago retired, Cortés Contreras named León Archbishop

Archbishop José Guadalupe Martín Rábago retired and Archbishop-designate Alfonso Cortés Contreras was named Archbishop of León, Guanajuato, México

Archbishop-designate Cortés Contreras had been serving as Bishop of Cuernavaca, Morelos.

Marques Chindekasse named Dundo Bishop

Bishop-elect Estanislau Marques Chindekasse, S.V.D. was named Bishop of Dundo, Angola.

The diocese had been vacant since then-Bishop José Manuel Imbamba was named Archbishop of Saurimo in April 2011.

Pathalil retired, Ganawa named Udaipur Bishop

Bishop Joseph Pathalil retired and Bishop Devprasad John Ganawa, S.V.D. was named Bishop of Udaipur, India.

Bishop Ganawa had been serving as Bishop of Jhabua.

Delly retired as Babylone (Chaldean) Patriarch

Emmanuel III (Emmanuel-Karim) Cardinal Delly retired as Patriarch of Babylon {Babilonia} (Chaldean), Iraq.

Mataca retired, Chong named Suva Archbishop

Archbishop Petero Mataca retired and Archbishop-elect Peter Loy Chong was named Archbishop of Suva, Fiji, Pacific (Oceania).

Thevenin named Apostolic Nuncio

Archbishop-elect Nicolas Henry Marie Denis Thevenin was named Apostolic Nuncio and titular archbishop of Aeclanum.

Note: no country was specified.

Soares Vieira retired, Castriani named Manaus Archbishop

Archbishop Luiz Soares Vieira retired and Archbishop-designate Sérgio Eduardo Castriani, C.S.Sp. was named Archbishop of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil.

Archbishop-designate Castriani had been serving as Prelate of Tefé.

Gallagher named Australia Nuncio

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher was named Apostolic Nuncio to Australia.

The post had been vacant since Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto was named Apostolic Nuncio to Israel in August 2012.

Archbishop Gallagher had been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Guatemala.

Pintor retired as Ozieri Bishop

Bishop Sergio Pintor retired as Bishop of Ozieri, Italy.

Gänswein named Papal Household Prefect

Archbishop-elect Georg Gänswein was named Prefect of the Prefecture of the Papal Household and titular archbishop of Urbs Salvia.

The post had been vacant since then-Archbishop James Michael Harvey was named Archpriest of the Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura {Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls Basilica} in November 2012.

Okpaleke named Ahiara Bishop

Bishop-elect Peter Ebere Okpaleke was named Bishop of Ahiara, Nigeria.

The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Victor Adibe Chikwe in September 2010.

Dell’Oro named Atyrau Apostolic Administrator

Bishop-elect Adelio Dell’Oro was named Apostolic Administrator of Atyrau, Kazakhstan and titular bishop of Castulo.

Chatlain named Keewatin-Le Pas Archbishop

Archbishop-designate Murray Chatlain was named Archbishop of Keewatin-Le Pas, Manitoba, Canada.

The archdiocese had been vacant since the retirement of Archbishop Sylvain Lavoie, O.M.I. in July 2012.

Archbishop-designate Chatlain had been serving as Bishop of Mackenzie-Fort Smith, Northwest Territory and will now serve also as it's Apostolic Administrator.

Voderholzer named Regensburg Bishop

Bishop-elect Rudolf Voderholzer was named Bishop of Regensburg, Germany.

The diocese had been vacant since then-Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller was named Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in July 2012.

Bochatey named La Plata Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Alberto Germán Bochatey, O.S.A. was named Auxiliary Bishop of La Plata, Argentina and titular bishop of Mons in Mauretania.

Concessao retired, Couto named Delhi Archbishop

Archbishop Vincent Michael Concessao retired and Archbishop-designate Anil Joseph Thomas Couto was named Archbishop of Delhi, India.

Archbishop-designate Couto had been serving as Bishop of Jullundur.

Kandulna named Khunti Bishop

Bishop Binay Kandulna was named Bishop of Khunti, India.

The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Stephen M. Tiru in March 2012.

Bishop Knadulna had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Ranchi and Apostolic Administrator of Khunti.

Caraballo Fermín named Maracaibo Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Ángel Francisco Caraballo Fermín was named Auxiliary Bishop of Maracaibo, Venezuela and titular bishop of Dagnum.

Zmitrowicz named Kamyanets-Podilskyi Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Radosław Zmitrowicz, O.M.I. was named Auxiliary Bishop of Kamyanets-Podilskyi, Ukraine and titular bishop of Gypsaria.

Crean named Cloyne Bishop

Bishop-elect William Crean was named Bishop of Cloyne, Ireland.

The diocese had been vacant since the resignation of Bishop John Magee, S.P.S. in March 2010.

Wętkowski named Gniezno Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Krzysztof Jakub Wętkowski was named Auxiliary Bishop of Gniezno, Poland and titular bishop of Glavinitza.

Consistory to Create New Cardinals (with Titles)

The six new Cardinals that were created today are:

• James Michael Harvey
  Archpriest of Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls Basilica
  Cardinal-Deacon of San Pio V a Villa Carpegna
• Béchara Boutros Raï, O.M.M.
  Patriarch of Antiochia {Antioch} (Maronite), Lebanon
  Cardinal-Bishop
• Baselios Cleemis (Isaac) Thottunkal
  Major Archbishop of Trivandrum (Syro-Malankarese), India
  Cardinal-Priest of San Gregorio VII
• John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan
  Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria
  Cardinal-Priest of San Saturnino
• Jesús Rubén Salazar Gómez
  Archbishop of Bogotá, Colombia
  Cardinal-Priest of San Gerardo Maiella
• Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle
  Archbishop of Manila, Philippines
  Cardinal-Priest of San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle

Monterisi retired, Harvey named San Paolo fuori le Mura Archpriest

Francesco Cardinal Monterisi retired and Archbishop James Michael Harvey was named Archpriest of the Basilica di San Paolo fuori le Mura {Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls Basilica}.

Archbishop Harvey had been serving as Prefect of the Prefecture of the Papal Household and is expected to become a Cardinal tomorrow.

Pyl named Odessa-Simferopol Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Jacek Pyl, O.M.I. was named Auxiliary Bishop of Odessa-Simferopol, Ukraine and titular bishop of Nova Sinna.

Chinnappa retired, Antonysamy named Madras and Mylapore Archbishop

Archbishop Malayappan Chinnappa, S.D.B. retired and Archbishop George Antonysamy was named Archbishop of Madras and Mylapore (Meliapor), India.

Archbishop Antonysamy had been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Liberia, to Gambia, and to Sierra Leone.

Chovanec named Banská Bystrica Bishop

Bishop Marián Chovanec was named Bishop of Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.

The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Rudolf Baláž in July 2011.

Bishop Chovanec had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Nitra.

Calzada Guerrero named Antequera, Oaxaca Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Gonzalo Alonso Calzada Guerrero was named Auxiliary Bishop of Antequera, Oaxaca, México and titular bishop of Cissa.

Lushchak named Mukachevo (Ruthenian) Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Nil Yuriy Lushchak, O.F.M. was named Auxiliary Bishop of Mukachevo (Munkács) (Ruthenian), Ukraine and titular bishop of Flenucleta.

Pezzuto named Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro Nuncio

Archbishop Luigi Pezzuto was named Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Apostolic Nuncio to Montenegro.

The posts had been vacant since Archbishop Alessandro D’Errico was named Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia in May 2012.

Archbishop Pezzuto had been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to El Salvador and Apostolic Nuncio to Belize.

Verucchi retired, Ghizzoni named Ravenna-Cervia Archbishop

Archbishop Giuseppe Verucchi retired and Archishop-designate Lorenzo Ghizzoni was named Archbishop of Ravenna-Cervia, Italy.

Archbishop-designate Ghizzoni had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla.

Ciereszko named Białystok Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Henryk Ciereszko was named Auxiliary Bishop of Białystok, Poland and titular bishop of Dices.

Salinas Viñals named Mallorca Bishop

Bishop Javier Salinas Viñals was named Bishop of Mallorca, Spain.

The diocese had been vacant since Bishop Jesús Murgui Soriano was named Bishop of Orihuela-Alicante.

Bishop Salinas Viñals had been serving as Bishop of Tortosa.

Nicioli named Aparecida Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Darci José Nicioli, C.SS.R. was named Auxiliary Bishop of Aparecida, Sao Paulo, Brazil and titular bishop of Ficus.

Nwachukwu named Nicaragua Nuncio

Archbishop-elect Fortunatus Nwachukwu was named Apostolic Nuncio to Nicaragua and titular archbishop of Aquaviva.

The post had been vacant since Archbishop Henryk Józef Nowacki was named Apostolic Nuncio to Sweden in June 2012.

Poitras named Timmins Bishop

Bishop-elect Serge Patrick Poitras was named Bishop of Timmins, Ontario, Canada.

The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Paul Marchand, S.M.M. in July 2011.

Liberati retired, Caputo named Pompei o Beatissima Vergine Maria del SS.mo Rosario Prelate

Archbishop Carlo Liberati retired and Archbishop Tommaso Caputo was named Prelate of Pompei o Beatissima Vergine Maria del Santissimo Rosario, Italy.


Archbishop Caputo had been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Malta and to Libya.

Arancibia retired, Franzini named Mendoza Archbishop

Archbishop José María Arancibia retired and Archbishop-designate Carlos María Franzini was named Archbishop of Mendoza, Argentina.

Archbishop-designate Franzini had been serving as Bishop of Rafaela.

Alphonse named Port-au-Prince Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Quesnel Alphonse, S.M.M. was named Auxiliary Bishop of Port-au-Prince, Haïti and titular bishop of Dionysiana.

Deeley named Boston Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Robert P. Deeley was named Auxiliary Bishop of Boston, Massachusetts, USA and titular bishop of Kearney.

Zani named Catholic Education Secretary

Archbishop-elect Angelo Vincenzo Zani was named Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education (for Seminaries and Institutes of Study) and titular archbishop of Volturnum.

Bispo da Silva named Patos Bishop

Bishop-elect Eraldo Bispo da Silva was named Bishop of Patos, Paraiba, Brazil.

The diocese had been vacant since Bishop Manoel dos Reis de Farias was named Bishop of Petrolina, Pernambuco in July 2011.

de Miranda Pereira retired, Alves Bezerra named Paracatu Bishop

Bishop Leonardo de Miranda Pereira retired and Bishop Jorge Alves Bezerra, S.S.S. was named Bishop of Paracatu, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Bishop Alves Bezerra had been serving as Bishop of Jardim, Mato Grosso do Sul.

del Blanco Prieto retired, Pozzo named Papal Charities Almoner

Archbishop Félix del Blanco Prieto retired and Archbishop-elect Guido Pozzo was named Almoner of the Office of Papal Charities and titular archbishop of Balneoregium.

Archbishop-elect Pozzo had been serving as Secretary of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei”.

Menezes retired, D’Souza named Ajmer Bishop

Bishop Ignatius Menezes retired and Bishop-elect Pius Thomas D’Souza was named Bishop of Ajmer, India.

D’Souza retired, Parapullil named Jhansi Bishop

Bishop Frederick D’Souza retired and Bishop-elect Peter Parapullil was named Bishop of Jhansi, India.

Bishop D’Souza was one of 18 bishops that had been named to their current post before John Paul II became Pope.

Leigue Cesari named Santa Cruz de la Sierra Auxiliary

Bishop-elect René Leigue Cesari was named Auxiliary Bishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia and titular bishop of Nepeta.

Flock Bever named Cochabamba Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Robert Herman Flock Bever was named Auxiliary Bishop of Cochabamba, Bolivia and titular bishop of Forum Popilii.

Vázquez Villalobos named Puerto Escondido Bishop

Bishop-elect Pedro Vázquez Villalobos was named Bishop of Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, México.

The diocese had been vacant since Bishop Eduardo Cirilo Carmona Ortega, C.O.R.C. was named Bishop of Parral, Chihuahua in June 2012.

Beltran named San Fernando de La Union Bishop

Bishop Rodolfo Fontiveros Beltran was named Bishop of San Fernando de La Union, Philippines.

The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Artemio Lomboy Rillera, S.V.D. in November 2011.

Bishop Beltran had been serving as Vicar Apostolic of Bontoc-Lagawe.

Abanto Guzmán named Peru Military Bishop

Bishop Guillermo Martín Abanto Guzmán was named Bishop of Peru, Military.

Bishop Abanto Guzmán had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Lima.

Rolón Güepsa named Montería Bishop

Bishop-elect Ramón Alberto Rolón Güepsa was named Bishop of Montería, Colombia.

The diocese had been vacant since Bishop Julio César Vidal Ortiz was named Bishop of Cúcuta in July 2011.

Maguengue resigned as Pemba Bishop

Bishop Ernesto Maguengue resigned as Bishop of Pemba, Mozambique.

Kasyna named Pelplin Bishop

Bishop Ryszard Kasyna was named Bishop of Pelplin, Poland.

The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Jan Bernard Szlaga in April 2012.

Bishop Kasyna had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Gdańsk.

Cascio named Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi-Conza-Nusco-Bisaccia Archbishop

Archbishop-elect Pasquale Cascio was named Archbishop of Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi-Conza-Nusco-Bisaccia, Italy.

The archdiocese had been vacant since Archbishop Francesco Alfano was named Archbishop of Sorrento-Castellammare di Stabia in March 2012.

Rodríguez Gómez named Valle de Chalco Bishop

Bishop Víctor René Rodríguez Gómez was named Bishop of Valle de Chalco, México.

The diocese had been vacant since Bishop Luis Artemio Flores Calzada was named Bishop of Tepic, Nayarit in March 2012.

Bishop Rodríguez Gómez had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Texcoco.

College of Cardinals (with new Designees): Notes, Statistics, and updated Charts

The Charts (Warning: PDF format)

The charts are:

• Number of Cardinals (1585-2022; 1915-2022; and 1965-2022) 
• Average Age (1585-2022; 1915-2022; and 1965-2022)

As of today:

• 205 living Cardinals (116 Electors).
• Youngest: Rainer Maria Cardinal Woelki (Archbishop of Berlin, Germany) at 56.2
• Average Age (all): 78.3 years
• Average Age (Electors Only): 72.3 years
• Average Length of Service as Cardinal (all): 11.8 years
• Average Length of Service as Cardinal (Electors Only): 7.5 years

As of 24 November 2012: (with new Cardinals added)

• 211 living Cardinals (120 Electors).
• Youngest: Baselios Cleemis (Isaac) Thottunkal (Major Archbishop of Trivandrum (Syro-Malankarese)), India at 53.4
• 2nd Youngest: Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle (Archbishop of Manila, Philippines) at 55.4
• Average Age (all): 78.0 years
• Average Age (Electors Only): 71.9 years
• Average Length of Service as Cardinal (all): 11.5 years
• Average Length of Service as Cardinal (Electors Only): 7.2 years

Note:

• Two Cardinal Electors will turn 80 before the new Consistory:
  Francis Cardinal Arinze on 1 Nov and Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino on 23 Nov.

About the new class of Cardinal-Designates:

• Six, all under the age of 80, so they will all become Cardinal-Electors
• Average age: 63.9
• Full List of new Cardinal-Designates

Future numbers, assuming no deaths or new creations of Cardinal-Electors:

• By the end of 2012: 119 Cardinal-Electors
• By the end of 2013: 109 Cardinal-Electors
• By the end of 2014: 97 Cardinal-Electors
• By the end of 2015: 92 Cardinal-Electors
• By the end of 2016: 78 Cardinal-Electors

The last time 2 Consistories to create Cardinals were held in the same year was under Pope Pius XI in 1929 (July and December). He also did the same in 1923, 1925, 1926, and 1927.

The last Consistory to create Cardinals with 6 or fewer designees was under Pope Paul VI (actually his last one) - in June 1977 - just over a year before his death.

Among those named, was a young (50 years old) new (a month after his consecration) Archbishop of München und Freising {Munich}, Germany - named Joseph Ratzinger (better known now as Pope Benedict XVI).

Consistory to Create New Cardinals!!!

Announced today, it will be held on 24 Nov 2012. This is the 2nd consistory to create new cardinals this year.

The new Cardinals are to be:

• Archbishop James Michael Harvey, Prefect of the Prefecture of the Papal Household
• Patriarch Béchara Boutros Raï, O.M.M., Patriarch of Antiochia {Antioch} (Maronite), Lebanon
• Major Archbishop Baselios Cleemis (Isaac) Thottunkal, Major Archbishop of Trivandrum (Syro-Malankarese), India
• Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria
• Archbishop Jesús Rubén Salazar Gómez, Archbishop of Bogotá, Colombia
• Archbishop Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, Philippines

Sánchez Armijos resigned as Machala Bishop

Bishop Luis Antonio Sánchez Armijos, S.D.B. resigned as Bishop of Machala, Ecuador.

Talucci retired, Caliandro named Brindisi-Ostuni Archbishop

Archbishop Rocco Talucci retired and Archbishop-designate Domenico Caliandro was named Archbishop of Brindisi-Ostuni, Italy.

Archbishop-designate Caliandro had been serving as Bishop of Nardò-Gallipoli.

Gallese named Alessandria Bishop

Bishop-elect Guido Gallese was named Bishop of Alessandria (della Paglia), Italy.

The diocese had been vacant since then-Bishop Giuseppe Versaldi was named President of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See in September 2011.

Palletti named La Spezia-Sarzana-Brugnato Bishop

Bishop Luigi Ernesto Palletti was named Bishop of La Spezia-Sarzana-Brugnato, Italy.

The diocese had been vacant since then-Bishop Francesco Moraglia was named Patriarch of Venezia {Venice} in January 2012.

Bishop Palletti had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Genova {Genoa}.

Terrio named St Paul in Alberta Bishop

Bishop-elect Paul Terrio was named Bishop of Saint Paul in Alberta, Canada.

The diocese had been vacant since Bishop Joseph Luc André Bouchard was named Bishop of Trois Rivières, Québec in February 2012.

Tobin named Indianapolis Archbishop

Archbishop Joseph William Tobin, C.SS.R. was named Archbishop of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.

The archdiocese had been vacant since the resignation of Archbishop Daniel Mark Buechlein, O.S.B. in September 2011.

Archbishop Tobin had been serving as Secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Paglia retired, Rama named Pinheiro Bishop

Bishop Ricardo Pedro Paglia, M.S.C. retired and Bishop-elect Elio Rama, I.M.C. was named Bishop of Pinheiro, Maranho, Brazil.

Prada Sanmiguel resigned as Duitama-Sogamoso Bishop

Bishop Carlos Prada Sanmiguel resigned as Bishop of Duitama-Sogamoso, Colombia.

Mayugba named Laoag Bishop

Bishop Renato Pine Mayugba was named Bishop of Laoag, Philippines.

The diocese had been vacant since then-Bishop Sergio Lasam Utleg was named Archbishop of Tuguegarao in June 2011.

Bishop Mayugba had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Lingayen-Dagupan.

Daneels named Archbishop

Archbishop-designate Frans Daneels, O. Praem. was named Titular Archbishop of Bita while remaining Secretary of the Apostolic Signatura.

Paixão Neto named Petrópolis Bishop

Bishop Gregório (Leozírio) Paixão Neto, O.S.B. was named Bishop of Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The diocese had been vacant since then-Bishop Filippo Santoro was named Archbishop of Taranto, Italy in November 2011.

Bishop Paixão Neto had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of São Salvador da Bahia.

Corbellini named Marabá Bishop

Bishop-elect Vital Corbellini was named Bishop of Marabá, Para, Brazil.

The diocese had been vacant since the resignation of Bishop José Foralosso, S.D.B. in April 2012.

Órdenes Fernández resigned as Iquique Bishop

Bishop Marco Antonio Órdenes Fernández resigned as Bishop of Iquique, Chile.

Scicluna named Malta Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Charles J. Scicluna was named Auxiliary Bishop of Malta and titular bishop of San Leone.

Nowacki named Denmark, Finland, and Norway Nuncio

Archbishop Henryk Józef Nowacki was named Apostolic Nuncio to Denmark, Apostolic Nuncio to Finland, and Apostolic Nuncio to Norway in addition to his other posts.

Frankowski retired as Sandomierz Auxiliary

Bishop Edward Marian Frankowski retired as Auxiliary Bishop of Sandomierz, Poland.

Cabrera López named Monterrey Archbishop

Archbishop Rogelio Cabrera López was named Archbishop of Monterrey, Nuevo León, México.

The archdiocese had been vacant since Archbishop José Francisco Robles Ortega was named Archbishop of Guadalajara, Jalisco in December 2011.

Archbishop Cabrera López had been serving as Archbishop of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas.

Bach named São José dos Pinhais Bishop

Bishop Francisco Carlos Bach was named Bishop of São José dos Pinhais, Parana, Brazil.

The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Ladislau Biernaski, C.M. in February 2012.

Bishop Bach had been serving as Bishop of Toledo.

and 20,000,000 visits later

The Main Website reached another milestone early this morning - the 20 millionth visit.

The site began long ago, you can find a history and timeline on the website.

Until the site got its own domain - on the Feast of Blessed Damien de Veuster (10 May 2002) no logs and very few stats were available. On that first day, there were 45 visits - viewing 495 pages.

Over the years the site has greatly expanded in content and in users. For example, last month there was an average of over 7,000 visits looking at over 36,000 pages each day. Over 1,850 people belong to the groups that receive emails about updates.

And today, the total number of visits passed 20 million. During those visits, folks viewed 128 million pages. Not bad for 10.4 years of service :-)

For reference, it took 6.2 years (July 2008) for the first 10 million visits. It has taken only 4.2 years for the second 10 million!

All I can say is Thank You!

Wanke resigned as Erfurt Bishop

Bishop Joachim Wanke resigned as Bishop of Erfurt, Germany.

Schraml retired as Passau Bishop

Bishop Wilhelm Schraml retired as Bishop of Passau, Germany.