Vatican City, 8 July 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has: - appointed Abbot Jean-Marie Lovey, C.R.B., as bishop of Sion (area 5,589, population 319,000, Catholics 245,000, priests 222, permanent deacons 17, religious 406), Switzerland. The bishop-elect was born in Orsieres, Switzerland in 1950, gave his perpetual vows in 1971, and was ordained a priest in 1977. He holds a licentiate from the University of Fribourg, and has served as chaplain in various colleges and as prior of the Hospice of the Great St. Bernard. He is currently prepositor general of the Canons Regular of the Congregation of the Great St. Bernard. He succeeds Bishop Norbert Brunner, whose resignation in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law was accepted by the Holy Father. - appointed Fr. Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, C.M.F., as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Makurdi (area 7,304, population 1,014,000, Catholics 457,070, priests 77, religious 51), Nigeria. The bishop-elect was born in Aondona Village, Nigeria in 1965 and was ordained a priest in 1994. He holds a masters degree in theology from the Spiritan International School of Theology, Enugu State, Nigeria. He has held a number of pastoral roles, including priest of the “St. Peter's” parish, Gariki; and the “St. Fidelis” parish, Allan; dean of Utonkon in the diocese of Otukpo; and military chaplain of the 34th Artillery Brigade, Obinze. He is currently provincial bursar and military chaplain of the 3rd Battalion, Warri. - appointed Fr. David Martinez De Aguirre Guinea, O.P., as coadjutor bishop of the apostolic vicariate of Puerto Maldonado (area 150,000, population 324,000, Catholics 259,000, priests 56, religious 67), Peru. The bishop-elect was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain in 1970, took his perpetual vows in 1993 and was ordained a priest in 1999. He holds a licentiate in biblical theology from the University of Deusto, Bilbao. He has served in the apostolic vicariate of Puerto Maldonado, as lecturer in biblical theology in the seminary of the vicariate, as priest in the parish of “Inmaculada Concepcion de Kirigueti and as head of the mission of Kirigueti. He is currently head of the “San Pedro Martir de Timpia” mission, member of the directorate of the “Jose Pio Aza” cultural centre in Lima advisor of the regional Dominican vicariate Santa Rosa de Lima. | |||||
| MEETING OF THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR THE PROTECTION OF MINORS AND THE POPE'S ENCOUNTER WITH VICTIMS OF ABUSE BY MEMBERS OF THE CLERGY Vatican City, 7 July 2014 (VIS) – This morning in the Holy See Press Office, the director, Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., gave a briefing on the meeting of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and the Pope's encounter with the victims of abuse, which took place on 6 and 7 July. “On Sunday 6 July, all members of the Commission met at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, coordinated by Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., with the collaboration of Msgr. Robert Oliver at an organisational level”, said Fr. Lombardi, who added that the issues under consideration were: “proposals for the selection and appointment of new members, to integrate the Commission with representatives from other geographical areas; the statutes of the Commission; the need to institute an operative Office; the possibility of organising working groups on specific themes with the collaboration of specialists and other institutions”. He added that time had also been dedicated to the preparation of the Holy Father’s meeting with a number of victims, scheduled for the following morning, 7 July. The next meeting is scheduled to take place during the month of October. It is hoped that new members of the Commission will be present. He went on the refer to the meeting of the Pope on the morning of Monday, 7 July with various victims of sexual abuse by members of the clergy. “The invitees were six adults, three men and three women, from Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Each victim was accompanied by a family member or other companion. The invitation to meet the Pope had been made by Cardinal O’Malley in several countries where there exists a Church structure regarding the victims of sexual abuse”. “The invitees arrived at the Domus Sanctae Marthae by the afternoon of Sunday 6 July. While they were dining in the refectory, the Holy Father appeared to address a first brief greeting to them. The Pope first offered them a Mass, celebrated in the Sanctae Marthae chapel at 7 a.m., attended also by the companions, members of the Commission and a limited number of other collaborators. The formula of the Mass was for peace and justice. During Mass, the Pope pronounced a homily for them in Spanish; each participant was given a translation of the text in his or her own language. After Mass, the Pope greeted the individuals present, as usual”. “After breakfast, the Pope received the individual visitors, with their companions, for a private personal discussion in a room in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, one after the other. The discussions lasted from 9 a.m. to around 12.20 p.m. The participants, after the discussions, expressed their emotion and their satisfaction at having been listened to by the Pope with such attention and willingness”. The director of the Holy See Press Office concluded, “the Pope showed that listening helps to understand and prepare the way to reinstate trust, heal wounds, and to open up the possibility of reconciliation with God and with the Church”. |
| A YEAR AFTER THE TRAGEDY OF LAMPEDUSA, THE POPE PRAYS FOR IMMIGRANTS Vatican City, 7 July 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has sent a letter to Archbishop Francesco Montenegro of Agrigento on the anniversary of his visit in July 2013 to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa to pray for the African immigrants who lost their lives when the boat they were travelling on capsized. “One year on, the problem of immigration is becoming worse, and tragedies of this type continue to occur with dogged regularity”, writes the Pope. “Our heart struggles to accept the death of these, our brothers and sisters, who face extenuating journeys to escape from dramatic situations, poverty, wars and conflicts, often linked to to international politics. Once again I spiritually reach out to the Mediterranean Sea to weep with all those who suffer and to launch flowers of prayer for the souls of the women, men and children who are victims of a drama that seems to be without end.” In his letter, Pope Francis emphasises that this situation must be faced “not with the logic of indifference but with the logic of hospitality and sharing in order to protect and promote the dignity and centrality of every human being”. Likewise, the Pontiff encouraged “Christian communities and all people of good will to continue to reach out and lend a helping hand to all those who are in need, without counting the cost, without fear, with tenderness and understanding”, and expressed his hope that “the competent institutions, especially at the European level, may be more courageous and generous in relief for refugees”. |
| OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS Vatican City, 7 July 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has: - appointed Fr. Manuel Ochogavia Barahona, O.S.A., as bishop of Colon-Kuna Yala (area 8,167, population 290,000, Catholics 204,000, priests 32, religious 46), Panama. The bishop-elect was born in Las Tablas, Panama in 1967, gave his solemn vows in 1995, and was ordained a priest in 2002. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including professor and administrator of the “San Agustin” college in the diocese of David, Panama; and priest in the “San Jose” parish, David. He is currently prior of the convent and priest of the parish of Chitre, diocesan chancellor, member of the college of consultors, member of the council of his Order for Panama, delegate at the Organisation of Agostinians for Latin America, diocesan assessor for the “Movimiento Familiar Cristiano” and chaplain of the Regional University Centre of Azuero. On Saturday, 5 July, the Holy Father: - appointed Archbishop Antonio Arcari, currently apostolic nuncio in Mozambique, as apostolic nuncio in Costa Rica. - appointed Bishop John Ebebe Ayah of Ogoja, Nigeria as bishop of Uyo (area 5,969, population 1,963,000, Catholics 737,000, priests 75, religious 58), Nigeria, and apostolic administrator “sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis” of the diocese of Ogoja. - appointed Msgr. Luis Fernando Rodriguez as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Cali (area 2,504, population 2,821,000, Catholics 2,397,000, priests 405, permanent deacons 16, religious 1044), Colombia. The bishop-elect was born in Medellin, Colombia in 1959 and was ordained a priest in 1995. He holds a bachelor's degree in theology from the Pontifical Bolivarian University of Medellin, a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Javerian University of Bogota, Colombia, and a licentiate in religious education from the Pontifical Bolivarian University of Medellin. He has served in a number of pastoral, academic and administrative roles, including formator and vice rector of the major seminary of Medellin, vice chancellor of the archdiocese of Medellin and secretary to the archbishop; priest of the parish of “Santa Maria la Virgen”, official of the Pontifical Council for the Family; priest of the parish of “El Sagrario”, adjunct judicial vicar of the archdiocesan tribunal; and professor, chaplain and rector of the Pontifical Bolivarian University of Medellin. He is currently vicar general of the archdiocese of Medellin. - appointed Fr. Lukasz Miroslaw Buzun, O.S.P.P.E., as auxiliary of Kalisz (area 10,800, population 732,348, Catholics 726,000, priests 608, religious 536), Poland. The bishop-elect was born in Korycin, Poland in 1968, gave his perpetual vows in 1995 and was ordained a priest in 1996. He studied psychology at the Pontifical Faculty of Theology of Wroclaw and at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University of Warsaw, where he obtained his licentiate in theology of spirituality and his doctorate in theology. He has served in the monastery and parish of Wlodawa and in the monastery of Jasna Gora, where he was also deputy director of the radio of Jasna Gora. He is currently lecturer in spiritual theology in the faculty of theology of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University of Warsaw and prior of the monastery of Jasna Gora. |
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