Other Pontifical Acts

Vatican City, 8 April 2015 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:

- accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Morelia, Mexico, presented by Archbishop Octavio Villegas Aguilar upon reaching the age limit.

On Tuesday, 7 April, the Holy Father appointed:

- Rev. Fr. Ernesto Jose Romero Rivas, O.F.M. Cap., as apostolic vicar of Tucupita (area 40,200, population 167,676, Catholics 120,000, priests 8, religious 20), Venezuela. The bishop-elect was born in Machiques, Venezuela in 1960, gave his solemn vows in 1990, and was ordained a priest in the same year. He holds a licentiate in catechetics from the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome and has served in a number of roles, including parish administrator in Tucupita; and master of post-novices, counsellor, superior, rector, bursar and vice provincial counsellor of the Order of Friars Minor in Venezuela. He is currently pro-vicar of Tucupita and parish priest.

- appointed Rev. Fr. Vincent Aind as bishop of Bagdogra (area 1,200, population 1,015,000, Catholics 54,301, priests 58, religious 185), India. The bishop-elect was born in Kalchini, India in 1955 and was ordained a priest in 1984. He holds a doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and has served in a number of roles, including parish vicar and parish priest in the diocese of Jalpaiguri; lecturer, spiritual director, rector and dean of the Morning Star regional seminary, Barrackpore; and principal of the Morning Star College. He is currently diocesan consulter and member of the council for economic affairs of the diocese of Jalpaiguri, and regional secretary of the Commission for the Clergy, Religious and Seminarians of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Bengal.