Gonçalves Pereira named Coari Coadjutor

Bishop-elect Joércio Gonçalves Pereira, C.SS.R. was named Coadjutor Prelate of Coari. Bishop Gutemberg Freire Régis, C.SS.R. remains the ordinary of the territorial prelature.

Nguyen Van De named Bùi Chu Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Pierre Nguyen Van De, S.D.B. was named Auxiliary Bishop of Bùi Chu, Viêt Nam and titular bishop of Ammaedara. Bishop Joseph Hoàng Van Tiem, S.D.B. remains the ordinary of the diocese.

Trelle named Hildesheim Bishop

Bishop Norbert Trelle was named Bishop of Hildesheim, Germany. The diocese had been vacant since Bishop Josef Homeyer retired in August, 2004. Bishop Trelle had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Köln {Cologne}.

Ramaroson named Farafangana Bishop

Bishop-elect Benjamin Marc Ramaroson, C.M. was named Bishop of Farafangana, Madagascar. The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Charles-Remy Rakotonirina, S.J. in August.

Oliver Domingo retired, Palmero Ramos named Orihuela-Alicante Bishop

Bishop Victorio Oliver Domingo retired and Bishop Rafael Palmero Ramos was named Bishop of Orihuela-Alicante, Spain. Bishop Oliver Domingo has been serving as a bishop for 33 years and as a priest for 51 years. Bishop Palmero Ramos has been serving as Bishop of Palencia for the last 9 years.

Echarren Istúriz retired, Cases Andreu named Canary Islands Bishop

Bishop Ramón Echarren Istúriz retired and Bishop Francisco Cases Andreu was named Bishop of Islas Canarias {Canary Islands}, Spain. Bishop Echarren Istúriz has been serving as a bishop for 36 years and as a priest for 47 years. Bishop Cases Andreu has been serving as Bishop of Albacete for the last 9 years.

Cauchi retired, Grech named Gozo Bishop

Bishop Nikol Joseph Cauchi retired and Bishop-elect Mario Grech was named Bishop of Gozo, Malta. Bishop Cauchi has been serving as a bishop for 38 years and as a priest for 53 years. Bishop-elect Grech has been serving as a priest of the same diocese.

Bishop McLoughlin Died

Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Emeritus of Galway and Kilmacduagh, Ireland, has died. He had served as a priest for 51 years and as a bishop for 12 years before retiring in May of this year. May he rest in peace.

Bishop Hertzog Died

Bishop Jean-Claude Hertzog, Auxiliary Bishop of Bordeaux (-Bazas), France, has died. He had served as a bishop for 3 years and as a priest for 43 years. May he rest in peace.

Palmieri named Rrëshen Bishop

Bishop-elect Cristoforo Palmieri, C.M. was named Bishop of Rrëshen, Albania. He has been serving as Apostolic Administrator of the same diocese.

Vitale named Lezhë {Lesh} Bishop

Bishop-elect Ottavio Vitale, R.C.J. was named Bishop of Lezhë {Lesh}, Albania. He has been serving as Apostolic Administrator of the same diocese.

Gjergji named Sapë Bishop

Bishop-elect Dodë Gjergji was named Bishop of Sapë, Albania. He has been serving as Apostolic Administrator of the same diocese.

Bishop Paschoal Died

Bishop Hélio Paschoal, C.S.S., Bishop Emeritus of Livramento de Nossa Senhora, Brazil, has died. He had served as a bishop for 38 years and a priest for 54 years. May he rest in peace.

Ba Ria Erected; Nguyên Van Trâm named Bishop

The Diocese of Ba Ria, Viêt Nam was erected with territory taken from the Diocese of Xuân Lôc. Bishop Thomas Nguyên Van Trâm was named its first Bishop. He had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Xuân Lôc.

Statistics from Annuario Pontificio 2005

After many delays, I've finally completed the data entry of statistical information from the Annuario Pontificio 2005. The data will appear on the individual diocese pages as those are updated (I hope to refresh them all in the next week or so). The summary statistics are now updated.

The usual warning on summary statistics always applies. All summary statistics (anything above the level of a single diocese) have many known problems. If more accurate statistics are required, I highly recommend the Statistical Yearbook published annually by the Vatican.

D’Errico named Bosnia-Herzegovina Nuncio

Archbishop Alessandro D’Errico was named Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia-Herzegovina. He had been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Pakistan.

Le Vert named Meaux Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Jean-Marie Le Vert was named Auxiliary Bishop of Meaux, France and titular bishop of Simidicca. He had been serving as a priest of the Archdiocese of Tours.

Bishop Cuara Méndez Died

Bishop Luis Gabriel Cuara Méndez, Bishop of Veracruz, Mexico, has died. He had as a bishop for 16 years and as a priest for 43 years. May he rest in peace.

Bishop Bududira Died

Bishop Bernard Bududira, Bishop of Bururi, Burundi, has died. He had served in that role for 32 years and as a priest for 42 years. May he rest in peace.

Zavala Castro named Chilpancingo-Chilapa Bishop

Bishop Alejo Zavala Castro was named Bishop of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, Guerrero, México. The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Efrén Ramos Salazar in February. Bishop Zavala Castro had been serving as Bishop of Tlapa.

Goretti retired, Sorrentino named Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino Bishop

Bishop Sergio Goretti retired and Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino was named Bishop of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino, Italy. Bishop Goretti had been serving as bishop for 25 years and as a priest for 52 years. Archbishop Sorrentino had been serving as the Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. He retains the title Archbishop as a personal title.

Bishop Chimole Died

Bishop Matthias A. Chimole, Bishop Emeritus of Lilongwe, Malawi, has died. He had served as a bishop for 35 years and as a priest for 58 years. May he rest in peace.

Archbishop Verolino Died

Archbishop Gennaro Verolino, titular archbishop of Corinthus, has died. He had served as an Apostolic Nuncio and in a variety of roles within the Roman Curia. He served as a bishop for 54 years and as a priest for 77 years. May he rest in peace.

Sigampa named Resistencia Archbishop

Archbishop-designate Fabriciano Sigampa was named Archbishop of Resistencia, Argentina. The Archdiocese had been vacant since Archbishop Carmelo Juan Giaquinta resigned in April. Archbishop-designate Sigampa had been serving as bishop of La Rioja.

Bishop Garmendia Ayestarán Died

Bishop Francisco Garmendia Ayestarán, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of New York, New York, USA, has died. He had served as a bishop for 28 years and a priest for 58 years. He had just turned 81 less than two weeks ago. May he rest in peace.

Antonini named Paraguay Nuncio

Archbishop Orlando Antonini was been named Apostolic Nuncio to Paraguay. The post had been vacant since Archbishop Antonio Lucibello was named Apostolic Nuncio to Turkey in August. Archbishop Antonini had been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Malawi and Zambia.

Beloto named Formosa Bishop

Bishop-elect Paulo Roberto Beloto was named Bishop of Formosa, Goias, Brazil. The diocese had been vacant since Bishop João Casimiro Wilk, O.F.M. Conv. was named Bishop of Anápolis in June 2004. Bishop-elect Beloto had been serving as a priest of Marília.

Jamnik named Ljubljana Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Anton Jamnik was named Auxiliary Bishop of Ljubljana, Slovenia and titular bishop of Vina. He had been serving as a priest of the same archdiocese.

González González named Guadalajara Auxiliary

Bishop-elect José Leopoldo González González was named Auxiliary Bishop of Guadalajara, Mexico and titular bishop of Thuburnica. He had been serving as a priest of the same archdiocese.

Archbishop Ávila Died

Archbishop Geraldo do Espírito Santo Ávila, Archbishop of Brazil, Military, has died. He had served as a bishop for 28 years and as a priest for just under 52 years. May he rest in peace.

Capuzzi retired, Merisi named Lodi Bishop

Bishop Giacomo Capuzzi retired and Bishop Giuseppe Merisi was named Bishop of Lodi, Italy. Bishop Capuzzi had been serving in that role for 16 years. Bishop Merisi had been serving as auxiliary bishop of Milano {Milan}.

Peña Gómez retired, Aranguren Echeverría named Holguín Bishop

Bishop Héctos Luis Lucas Peña Gómez retired and Bishop Emilio Aranguren Echeverría was named Bishop of Holguín, Cuba. Bishop Peña Gómez had been serving as a bishop for 35 years. Bishop Aranguren Echeverría had been serving as Bishop of Cienfuegos for 10 years.

Bishop Prévost Godard Died

Bishop José Rolando Gustavo Prévost Godard, P.M.E., Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Pucallpa, Peru, has died. He had served as a bishop for 49 years and as a priest for 67 years. May he rest in peace.

Zarri retired, Pizzi named Forlì-Bertinoro Bishop

Bishop Vincenzo Zarri retired and Bishop-elect Lino Pizzi was named Bishop of Forlì-Bertinoro, Italy. Bishop Zarri has been serving as a bishop for 29 years and as a priest for 53 years. Bishop-elect Pizzi has been serving as a priest of the archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola.

García de la Rasilla Domínguez named Jaén en Peru o San Francisco Javier Vicar Apostolic

Bishop-elect Santiago María García de la Rasilla Domínguez, S.J. was named Vicar Apostolic of Jaén en Peru o San Francisco Javier and titular bishop of Voncaria. The vicariate had been without an ordinary since Bishop Pedro Ricardo Barreto Jimeno, S.J. was named Archbishop of Huancayo in July, 2004.

Olorunmolu named Lokoja Bishop

Bishop-elect Martin Dada Abejide Olorunmolu was named Bishop of Lokoja, Nigeria. Bishop-elect Olorunmolu had been serving as a priest of the same diocese. The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Joseph Sunday Ajomo in June 2004.

Nickless named Sioux City Bishop

Bishop-elect Ralph Walker Nickless named Bishop of Sioux City, Iowa, USA. The diocese had been vacant since then-Bishop Daniel Nicholas DiNardo was named Coadjutor Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, Texas in January, 2004.

Bishop McGill died

Bishop Stephen McGill, P.S.S., Bishop Emeritus of Paisley, Scotland, Great Britain, has died. He had served as a bishop for 45 years and as a priest for 69 years. May he rest in peace.

Angell retired, Matano succeeded as Burlington Bishop

Bishop Kenneth Anthony Angell retired and Bishop Salvatore Ronald Matano succeeded him as Bishop of Burlington, Vermont, USA. Bishop Angell has been serving as a bishop for 31 years and as a priest for 49 years. Bishop Matano had been serving as Coadjutor Bishop of the same diocese.

Vo Duc Minh named Nha Trang Coadjutor

Bishop-elect Joseph Vo Duc Minh was named Coadjutor Bishop of Nha Trang, Viêt Nam. He had been serving as a priest in the diocese of Ðà Lat. Bishop Paul Nguyên Van Hòa remains the ordinary of Nha Trang.

García Bernal retired, Mancilla Sánchez named Ciudad Obregón Bishop

Bishop Vicente García Bernal retired and Bishop Juan Manuel Mancilla Sánchez was named Bishop of Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, México. Bishop García Bernal had been serving in that role for 17 years. Bishop Mancilla Sánchez had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Texcoco since 2001.

Bishop Infantes Florido has died

Bishop José Antonio Infantes Florido, Bishop Emeritus of Córdoba, Spain, has died. He had served as a bishop for 38 years and as a priest for 54 years. He retired as Bishop of Córdoba in 1996. May he rest in peace.

Cuccarese retired, Valentinetti named Pescara-Penne Archbishop

Archbishop Francesco Cuccarese retired and Archbishop-designate Tommaso Valentinetti was named Archbishop of Pescara-Penne, Italy. Archbishop Cuccarese had been serving as a bishop for 26 years. Archbishop-designate Valentinetti had been serving as Bishop of Termoli-Larino for 5 years.

Vallée retired as Hearst Bishop

Bishop André Vallée, P.M.E. retired as Bishop of Hearst, Ontario, Canada. He has been serving as a bishop for 18 years and as a priest for 49 years.