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.
