OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 30 May 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:

- appointed Fr. Stephan Burger as archbishop of Freiburg im Breisgau, (area 16,229, population 4,735,970, Catholics 1,953,041, priests 1,007, permanent deacons 246, religious 1,684), Germany. The bishop-elect was born in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany in 1962 and was ordained a priest in 1990. He studied theology at the University of Freiburg im Breisgau and obtained a licentiate in canon law from the University of Munster. He has served in the following roles: deputy priest in the parishes of St. Martin at Tauberbischofsheim and St. Franziskus at Pforzheim; parish administrator and subsequently priest of the parish of St. Mauritius at St. Leon-Rot; promoter of justice and subsequently judicial vicar at the tribunal of the archdiocese of Freiburg im Breisgau; and canon of the cathedral chapter.

- appointed Fr. Jonas Benson Okoye as auxiliary of the diocese of Awka (area 1,551, population 1,645,044, Catholics 818,792, priests 337, religious 165), Nigeria. The bishop-elect was born in Kaduna, Nigeria in 1963 and was ordained a priest in 1992. He studied theology and canon law at the Catholic Institute of West Africa, Port Harcourt, and holds a licentiate in canon law from St. Paul's University, Ottawa, Canada and a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including vicar of St. John's Parish, Ezinfite; priest of St. Peter's Parish, Oko; defender of the bond at the ecclesiastical tribunal of Awka; priest of St. John's Parish, Neni and deputy judicial vicar of the diocese of Awka; and priest of the Immaculate Conception Heart Parish, Ekwulobia. He is currently priest of the parish of St. Matthew, Amawbia, judicial vicar of the diocese of Awka, judge of the interdiocesan ecclesiastical tribunal of Onitsha, and president of the Nigerian Society of Canon Law.

- appointed Msgr. Paolo Giulietti as auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Perugia-Città della Pieve (area 1,900, population 286,645, Catholics 256,000, priests 195, religious 427), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Perugia, Italy in 1964 and was ordained a priest in 1991. He studied at the Theological Institute of Assisi and the Pontifical Salesian University, where he obtained a licentiate in theology, youth pastoral and catechetics. He has served in a number of pastoral roles, including: vicar in the parish of San Sisto in Perugia, spiritual assistant of the Confraternity of St. Jacopo of Compostela; director of the National Office of Youth Pastoral of the Italian Episcopal Conference; and priest of the parish of St. Bartholomew the Apostle in Ponte San Giovanni. He is currently vicar general of the archdiocese of Perugia-Città della Pieve. He is also moderator of the Curia, canon of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Perugia, and regional head of itineraries of faith. He was named Chaplain of His Holiness in 2005.

On Thursday, 29 May the Holy Father:

- confirmed the erection of the eparchy of St. Basil the Great of Bucharest of the Romanians, Romania, with territory from the current archieparchy of Fagaras and Alba Iulia of the Romanians.

- confirmed the transfer of Bishop Mihai Catalin Fratila from the office of auxiliary of and protosyncellus of Fagaras and Alba Iulia of the Romanians to the new eparchy of St. Basil the Great of Bucharest of the Romanians, Romania.