OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 9 December 2013 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father:

- appointed Pr. Simon Kaipuram, C.M., as bishop of Balasore (area 25,118, population 8,974,200, Catholics 23,643, priests 53, religious 174), India. The bishop-elect was born in Thannermukkom, India, 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1980. He holds a doctorate from the Gregorian Pontifical University, Rome, and has served in the following pastoral roles: parish vicar in Aligonda and Mohana, in the diocese of Berhampur, formator and professor at the Aquinas College, Gopalpur, rector of the Vidya Sadan Theology House, Pune, formator, professor and dean of studies at the Aquinas College, and formator at the Vincenzian minor seminary of Baripada, Balasore. He is currently rector and professor at the Aquinas College, diocesan consultor and provincial assistant, and visiting professor in various Indian seminaries and theological institutes. He succeeds Bishop Thomas Thiruthalil, C.M., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, upon having reached the age limit, was accepted by the Holy Father.

- accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the diocese of Brno, Czech Republic, presented by Bishop Petr Esterka, upon having reached the age limit.

- accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the diocese of Lowicz, Poland, presented by Bishop Jozef Zawitkowski, upon having reached the age limit.

On Sunday, 8 December the Holy Father appointed Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council “Justice and Peace” as his Special Envoy to the official ceremony in memory of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, the late former president of the Republic of South Africa, to be held in Johannesburg on Tuesday 10 December, 2013.

On Saturday, 7 December the Holy Father:

- appointed Rev. Georges Bizimana of the clergy of Ngozi, Burundi, as coadjutor bishop of Bubanza (area 2,700, population 772,000, Catholics 444,154, priests 40, permanent deacons 6, religious 50), Burundi. The bishop-elect was born in Buraniro, Burundi in 1965 and was ordained a priest in 1994. He holds a doctorate in moral theology from the Alphonsian Academy of the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome, and has served in the following pastoral roles: formator at the minor seminary of Mureke, parish vicar in Gasenyi, parish priest of Mubuga, chancellor of the diocesan and vocational animator, and professor and subsequently rector at the “Jean Paul II” major theological seminary of Gitega.

- appointed Msgr. Rudolf Pierskala as auxiliary bishop of Opole (area , population , Catholics , priests , permanent deacons , religious ), Poland. The bishop-elect was born in Kedzierzyn-Kozle, Poland in 1959 and was ordained a priest in 1985. He holds a doctorate from the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland, and has served in a number of pastoral and academic roles, including lecturer in liturgy in the Pastoral Institute of the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland; director of the residence for priests emeritus in Opole, lecturer in the faculty of theology in the University of Opole, pro-deacon in the faculty of theology and member of the Senate of the University of Opole, and member of the presbyteral Council. He is currently chancellor of the Curia, episcopal vicar for divine worship and the discipline of sacraments, member of the pastoral Council and the diocesan cCouncil for the continuing formation of priests, and adjunct professor in the University of Opole. He was named Chaplain of His Holiness in 2006.

- appointed Osvaldo Gianoli as director of the Pontifical Villas at Castelgandolfo.