OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 14 March 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:

- appointed Rev. Wilhelm Zimmerman as auxiliary of the diocese of Essen (area 1,877, population 2,531,280, Catholics 856,661, priests 516, permanent deacons 78, religious 505), Germany. The bishop-elect was born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany in 1948 and was ordained a priest in 1980. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including deputy priest in Hattingen, vicar and subsequently priest of the Cathedral of Essen, special secretary of Bishop Franz Hengsbach, dean of Essen-Mitte, honorary canon of the Cathedral of Essen, and priest of the “St. Gertrud” parish. He is currently provost of “St. Urbanus” at Gelsenkirchen-Buer and dean of the city of Gelsenkirchen and non-residential canon of the Cathedral of Essen. He succeeds Bishop Franz Vorrath, whose resignation from the office of auxiliary upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.

- appointed Bishop Damian Denis Dallu of Geita, Tanzania as archbishop of Songea (area 38,600, population 561,000, Catholics 303,000, priests 123, religious 734), Tanzania.

On Thursday, 13 March, the Holy Father:

- appointed Rev. Antoine Sabi Bio as bishop of Natitingou (area 20,499, population 737,494, Catholics 130,053, priests 58, religious 208), Benin. The bishop-elect was born in Gounienou, Benin in 1963, and was ordained a priest in 1991. He holds a licentiate in pastoral theology from the Pontifical Salesian University, Rome. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including chancellor and bursar of the diocese, priest of the parish of “Sainte Marie Reine” in Koussou, rector of the “St. Pierre” minor seminary of Natitingou, vicar general and priest of the Cathedral. He is currently apostolic administrator of the same diocese.

- appointed Rev. Fernando Martin Croxatto of the clergy of San Roque de Presidencia Roque Saenz Pena, Argentina, as auxiliary of the diocese of Comodoro Rivadavia (area 146,752, population 598,000, Catholics 465,000, priests 37, permanent deacons 2, religious 70), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in Moron, Argentina in 1956 and was ordained a priest in 1986. He served in a number of pastoral roles, including vicar in the parish “Cristo Rey” in Buenos Aires and vice-rector of the House of preparatory formation in the seminary; in 1991 he transferred to the diocese of San Roque de Presidencia Roque Saenz Pena, where he served as priest of the parish of “San Antonio de Padua” of Santa Sylvina, Coronel Du Graty, rector of the pre-seminary and head of diocesan vocational, youth and missionary pastoral, priest of the parish of “Santa Cruz”, vicar general, and priest of the Cathedral. He is currently priest of the parish of “San Francisco Solano” at El Sauzalito.