Other Pontifical Acts

Vatican City, 15 January 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:

- given his assent to the canonical election by the Synod of Bishops of the Chaldean Church of Rev. Basel Yaldo as auxiliary of the Patriarchate of Babylon of the Chaldeans. The bishop-elect was born in Telkaif, Iraq in 1970 and was ordained a priest in 2002. He studied theology at the Pontifical Urbanian University and holds a master's degree in dogmatic theology and a doctorate from the same University. He has served in a number of roles, including vice-rector of the major seminary of the Chaldeans in Baghdad, lecturer in dogmatic theology at the Babel College, deputy priest of the Church of the Sacred Heart in Baghdad, and special secretary to the late Patriarch Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly. He is currently priest of the St. George Chaldean Catholic Church in Michigan, U.S.A.

- appointed Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona as bishop of the Chaldean eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle in Sydney, Australia. Formerly Chaldean archbishop of Mossul, Iraq, he retains the dignity of archbishop and succeeds Msgr. Djibrail Kassab, whose resignation was accepted.

- appointed Chorbishop Emmanuel Challita as bishop of the Chaldean eparchy of Mar Addai in Toronto, Canada. The bishop-elect was born in Fishkabour-Zakho, Iraq in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1984. He holds a doctorate in biblical theology from the Pontifical Urbanian University, Rome, and has served in a number of pastoral roles, including deputy priest of the St. Joseph's parish, Troy, Michigan, U.S.A. He is currently priest of St. George's parish in Township, Michigan, U.S.A.