OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 3 February 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:

- appointed Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil S.D.B., emeritus of Guwahati, as apostolic administrator “sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis” of the diocese of Jowai (area 17,551, population 7,236,000, Catholics 78,526, priests 145, religious 678), India.

Yesterday, 2 February, the Holy Father appointed Fr. Vincent Mduduzi Zungo, O.F.M., as bishop of Port Elizabeth (area 71,828, population 2,952,000, Catholics 1110,000, priests 56, religious 138), South Africa. The bishop-elect was born in Mbongolwane, South Africa in 1966. He took his perpetual vows in 1994. He studied philosophy and theology at the “St. John Vianney” major seminary in Pretoria, and holds a doctorate in moral theology from the Catholic University of Strasbourg, France. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including parish vicar in the mission of Hardenberg, master of novices and guardian of the convent of Besters, professor in the “St. John Vianney” major seminary, provincial vicar and assistant to the master of postulants, and provincial of the Franciscans in South Africa. Since 2009 he has served as definitor general for Africa and for the Middle East in Rome.

On Saturday, 1 February the Holy Father:

- accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of New York, U.S.A., presented by Bishop Josu Iriondo, upon having reached the age limit.

- appointed Rev. Alex Joseph Vadakumthala as bishop of Kannur (area 4,988, population 2,772,000, Catholics 50,768, priests 122, religious 692), India. The bishop-elect was born in Maradu-Panangad, India in 1959 and was ordained a priest in 1984. He holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome. He has served in a number of pastoral and administrative roles, including parish assistant in the cathedral of Verapoly, priest of St. Philomenas' Church, Koonammavu; official at the Pontifical Council for Healthcare Workers (for Health Pastoral Care); secretary general of the Health Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI); lecturer at St. Joseph's Pontifical seminary, Alwaye, India, director of the Cochin Arts Communications of Verapoly, director of the Society of Medical Education in North India project, Ranchi; and president of the Canon Law Society of India. He is currently vicar general of the archdiocese of Verapoly.

- appointed Msgr. Luis Fernando Ramos Perez as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Santiago de Chile (area 9,132, population 5,958,000, Catholics 4,135,000, priests 969, permanent deacons 318, religious 3037), Chile. The bishop-elect was born in Santiago, Chile in 1959 and was ordained a priest in 1990. He studied engineering at the University of Chile. He studied philosophy and theology at the major seminary of Santiago and holds a doctorate in theology, specialising in sacred Scriptures, from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including prefect of philosophy in the major seminary of Santiago, vicar of the parishes of “Cristo Emaus” and “Santo Toribo de Mogrovejo”, official of the Congregation for Bishops, and archdiocesan episcopal vicar for education. He is currently rector of the major seminary of Santiago and episcopal vicar for the clergy.

- appointed Rev. Galo Fernandez Villasecca as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Santiago de Chile, Chile. He was born in Santiago, Chile in 1961 and ordained a priest in 1987. He has served in the following pastoral roles: vicar of the parish of “Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes” in Santiago; priest of the parish of “Cristo Redentor” in Penalolen, priest of the parish of “Santa Clara”, and episcopal vicar of “Vicaria de la Esperanza Joven”, He is currently episcopal vicar of the western zone of the archdiocese.