Tirkey named Jalpaiguri Bishop

Bishop-elect Clement Tirkey was named Bishop of Jalpaiguri, India. The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop James Anthony Toppo in May, 2004. Bishop-elect Tirkey has been serving as a priest in the diocese of Bagdogra.

Jowai, India Erected; Kympat named Bishop

The diocese of Jowai, India was erected with territory taken from the Archdiocese of Shillong. Bishop-elect Vincent Kympat was named its first bishop. He had been serving as a priest of Shillong.

Nongstoin, India Erected; Lyngdoh named Bishop

The diocese of Nongstoin, India was erected with territory taken from the Archdiocese of Shillong. Bishop-elect Victor Lyngdoh was named its first bishop. He had been serving as a priest of Shillong.

Tuzia named Rome Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Benedetto Tuzia was named an Auxiliary Bishop of Roma {Rome}, Italy and titular bishop of Nepi. He has been serving as a priest of the same diocese.

Lakra named Gumla Bishop

Bishop-elect Paul Alois Lakra was named Bishop of Gumla, India. The diocese has been vacant since the death of Bishop Michael Minj, S.J. in November, 2004. Bishop-elect Lakra has been serving as a priest of the same diocese.

David retired, Nourrichard succeeds as Evreux Bishop

Bishop Jacques Louis Antoine Marie David retired and Bishop Christian Nourrichard succeeded him as Bishop of Evreux, France. Bishop David has served as a Bishop for 24 years and as a priets for almost 50 years. Bishop Nourrichard has been serving as the Coadjutor Bishop of the same diocese.

Ebra retired, Apicella named Velletri-Segni Bishop

Bishop Andrea Maria Erba, B. retired and Bishop Vincenzo Apicella was named Bishop of Velletri-Segni, Italy. Bishop Erba had served in that role for 17 years and as a priest for almost 50 years. Bishop Apicella has been serving as an Auxiliary Bishop of Rome.

Aguilar Martínez named Tehuacán Bishop

Bishop Rodrigo Aguilar Martínez was named Bishop of Tehuacán, Puebla, México. The diocese had been vacant since Bishop Mario Espinosa Contreras was named Bishop of Mazatlán in March, 2005. Bishop Aguilar Martínez has been serving as Bishop of Matehuala.

Ireri Mukobo named Isiolo Vicar Apostolic

Bishop Anthony Ireri Mukobo, I.M.C. was named Vicar Apostolic of Isiolo, Kenya. The post had been vacant since the death of Bishop Luigi Locati last July. Bishop Ireri Mukobo has been serving as an Auxiliary Bishop of Nairobi.

Deus caritas est - God is love

Pope Benedict XVI released his first encyclical letter today. It is titled Deus caritas est (God is love) and dated 25 December 2005. The full text can be found on the Vatican website.

Girasoli named Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi

Archbishop-elect Nicola Girasoli was named Apostolic Nuncio to Zambia and to Malawi and also titular archbishop of Egnazia Appula.

Ochoa Cadavid named Medellín Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Víctor Manuel Ochoa Cadavid was named Auxiliary Bishop of Medellín, Colombia and titular bishop of San Leone. He has been serving as a priest of the same archdiocese.

Verdzekov retired, Esua Succeeded as Bamenda Archbishop

Archbishop Paul Verdzekov retired and Archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua succeeded him as Archbishop of Bamenda, Cameroon. Archbishop Verdzekov has served as a bishop for 35 years and as a priest for 44 years. Archbishop Esua had been serving as Coadjutor Archbishop of the same archdiocese.

Franco named Nuncio to Israel and Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine

Archbishop Antonio Franco was named Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine. The posts had been held by Archbishop Pietro Sambi until last month when he was made Apostolic Nuncio to United States of America. Archbishop Franco had been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Philippines.

Mbonyintege named Kabgayi Bishop

Bishop-elect Smaragde Mbonyintege was named Bishop of Kabgayi, Rwanda. The diocese had been vacant since the retirement of Bishop Anastase Mutabazi in December, 2004. Bishop-elect Mbonyintege has been serving as a priest of the same diocese.

Lê Dac Trong retired as Hà Nôi Auxiliary

Bishop Paul Lê Dac Trong retired as Auxiliary Bishop of Hà Nôi, Viêt Nam. He has served as a bishop for 11 years and as a priest for 57 years.

Cardinal Taofinu'u Died

Pio Cardinal Taofinu'u, S. M., Archbishop Emeritus of Samoa-Apia, Samoa, Pacific (Oceania), has died. He served as a Cardinal for 32 years, as a bishop for 37 years, and as a priest for 51 years. May he rest in peace.

Jayasundera named Ratnapura Bishop

Bishop-elect Ivan Tilak Jayasundera was named Bishop of Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. The diocese has been vacant since Bishop Harold Anthony Perera was named Bishop of Galle in February, 2005. Bishop-elect Jayasundera had been serving as a priest of the archdiocese of Kandy.

Bishop Djajasiswaja Died

Bishop Alexander Soetandio Djajasiswaja, Bishop of Bandung, Indonesia, has died. He served as a bishop for 21 years and as a priest for 47 years. May he rest in peace.

Coming Soon: Deus Caritas Est

Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical letter will be presented at a press conference one week from today. That is to say, at 12noon (Rome time) Wednesday 25 January 2006. The title is Deus Caritas Est and it will be immediately available in Italian, French, English, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Bohn and Ruffinoni named Porto Alegre Auxiliaries

Bishop-elect Remídio José Bohn and Bishop-elect Alessandro Carmelo Ruffinoni, C.S. were named Auxiliary Bishop of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil and titular bishops of Uchi Maius and Furnos Maior, respectively.

Hwang Cheol-soo named Pusan Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Paul Hwang Cheol-soo was named Auxiliary Bishop of Pusan, Korea (South) and titular bishop of Vicus Pacati. He has been serving as a priest of the same diocese.

Erected: El Banco, Colombia; Duque Correa named Bishop

The diocese of El Banco, Colombia was erected with territory taken from Santa Marta and Valledupar. Bishop-elect Jaime Enrique Duque Correa, M.X.Y. was named its first bishop.

Correa Yepes retired, Orozco Montoya named San José del Guaviare Bishop

Bishop Belarmino Correa Yepes, M.X.Y. retired and Bishop-elect Guillermo Orozco Montoya was named Bishop of San José del Guaviare, Colombia. Bishop Correa Yepes had been serving in that role for 6 years. Bishop-elect Orozco Montoya has been serving as a priest of the diocese of Sonsón-Rionegro.

Séjourné retired as Saint-Flour Bishop

Bishop René Pierre Louis Joseph Séjourné retired as Bishop of Saint-Flour, France. He has been serving as a bishop for 18 years and as a priest for 50 years.

Hung Shan-chuan named Kiayi Bishop

Bishop-elect John Hung Shan-chuan, S.V.D. was named Bishop of Kiayi, Taiwan. The diocese had been vacant since Bishop Peter Liu Cheng-chung was named Coadjutor Bishop of Kaohsiung in July 2004.

Peralta named Alaminos Coadjutor

Bishop-elect Mario Mendoza Peralta was named Coadjutor Bishop of Alaminos, Philippines. He had been serving as a priest in the diocese of Urdaneta. Bishop Jesus Aputen Cabrera remains the ordinary of the diocese of Alaminos.

Mallari named San Fernando Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Roberto Calara Mallari was named Auxiliary Bishop of San Fernando, Philippines and titular bishop of Erdonia. He had been serving as a priest of the same archdiocese.

Kunnacherry retired, Moolakkattu succeeded as Kottayam (Syro-Malabarese) Archbishop

Archbishop Kuriakose Kunnacherry retired and Archbishop Mathew Moolakkattu, O.S.B. succeeded him as Archbishop of Kottayam (Syro-Malabarese), India. Archbishop Kunnacherry has been serving as a bishop for 38 years and as a priest for 50 years. Archbishop Moolakkattu had been serving as Coadjutor Archbishop of the same archdiocese.

Ahouanan Djro named Bouaké Coadjutor

Archbishop-designate Paul Siméon Ahouanan Djro, O.F.M. was named Coadjutor Archbishop of Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire. He had been serving as Bishop of Yamoussoukro. Archbishop Vital Komenan Yao remains the ordinary of Bouaké.

Bishop Sopi Died

Bishop Marko Sopi, Apostolic Administrator of Prizren, Serbia and Montenegro, has died. His death fell just 5 days after his 10th anniversary of episcopal consecration. He had also served as a priest for 37 years. May he rest in peace.

Bishop Hornedo Correa Died

Bishop Antonio de Hornedo Correa, S.J., Bishop Emeritus of Chachapoyas, Peru, has died. He had served as a bishop for 33 years and as a priest for 55 years. May he rest in peace.

Del Río Sendino named Tarija Bishop

Bishop-elect Francisco Javier Del Río Sendino was named Bishop of Tarija, Bolivia. The diocese has been vacant since Bishop Adhemar Esquivel Kohenque retired in June, 2004. Bishop-elect Del Río Sendino is a priest of the diocese of Palencia, Spain.

Bishop McAuliffe Died

Bishop Michael Francis McAuliffe, Bishop Emeritus of Jefferson City, MO, USA, has died. He served as a bishop for 36 years and as a priest for 60 years. May he rest in peace.

Bzdel retired, Huculak named Winnipeg (Ukranian) Archbishop

Archbishop Michael Bzdel, C.SS.R. retired and Archbishop-designate Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M. was named Archbishop of Winnipeg (Ukrainian), Canada. Archbishop Bzdel had been serving in that role since 1992. Archbishop-designate Huculak has been serving as Bishop of Edmonton (Ukrainian).

Tshitoko Mamba named Luebo Bishop

Bishop-elect Pierre-Célestin Tshitoko Mamba was named Bishop of Luebo, Congo (Dem. Rep.). The diocese has been vacant since the resignation of Bishop Emery Kabongo Kanundowi in August, 2003. Bishop-elect Tshitoko Mamba has been serving as a priest of Kananga.

Caviedes Medina retired, Bacarreza Rodríguez named Los Angeles Bishop

Bishop Miguel Caviedes Medina retired and Bishop Felipe Bacarreza Rodríguez was named Bishop of Los Angeles, Chile. Bishop Caviedes Medina has served as a bishop for 23 years and as a priest for 51 years. Bishop Bacarreza Rodríguez had been serving as an Auxiliary Bishop of Concepción (Santissima Concezione).

Shan Kuo-hsi retired, Liu Cheng-chung named Kaohsiung Bishop

Paul Cardinal Shan Kuo-hsi, S.J. retired and Bishop Peter Liu Cheng-chung succeeded him as Bishop of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Bishop Liu Cheng-chung has been serving as Coadjutor Bishop of the same diocese.

Siemieniewski named Wrocław {Breslavia} Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Andrzej Siemieniewski was named Auxiliary Bishop of Wrocław {Breslavia}, Poland and titular bishop of Theuzi. He has been serving as a priest of the same archdiocese.

Gordon named Whitehorse Bishop

Bishop-elect Gary Gordon was named Bishop of Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Thomas Joseph Lobsinger, O.M.I. in 2000. Bishop-elect Gordon has been serving as a priest of the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

Losten retired, Chomnycky named Stamford (Ukrainian) Bishop

Bishop Basil Harry Losten retired and Bishop Paul Patrick Chomnycky, O.S.B.M. was named Bishop of Stamford (Ukrainian), USA. Bishop Losten had served in that role since 1977. Bishop Chomnycky had been serving in Great Britain.

Cho Kyu-man named Seoul Auxiliary

Bishop-elect Basilio Cho Kyu-man was named Auxiliary Bishop of Seoul, Korea (South) and titular bishop of Elephantaris in Proconsulari. He had been serving as a priest of the same archdiocese.

Bura named Philadelphia (Ukrainian) Auxiliary

Bishop-elect John Bura was named Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia (Ukrainian), Pennsylvania, USA and titular bishop of Limisa. He had been serving as a priest of the same archeparchy.

Aziz Mina named Guizeh (Coptic) Bishop

Bishop Antonios Aziz Mina was named Bishop of Guizeh (Coptic), Egypt. The diocese had been vacant since the death of Bishop Andraos Salama in Decemeber. Bishop Aziz Mina had been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Alexandria (Coptic).

Darmaatmadja resigned, Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo named Indonesia Military Ordinary

Julius Riyadi Cardinal Darmaatmadja, S.J. resigned and Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo was named Bishop of the Military Ordinariate of Indonesia. Cardinal Darmaatmadja remains the Archbishop of Jakarta and Archbishop Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo remains the Archbishop of Semarang.