Vatican City, 23 December 2015 (VIS) –
The Holy Father has appointed:
- Msgr. Pierantonio Pavanello as bishop
of Adria-Rovigo (area 1,193, population 204,400, Catholics 198,000,
priests 155, permanent deacons 5, religious 207), Italy. The
bishop-elect was born in Bassano del Grappa, Italy in 1955 and was
ordained a priest in 1982. He holds a doctorate in canon law from the
Pontifical Gregorian University and has served in a number of roles
in the diocese of Vicenza, including parish vicar, secretary of the
presbyteral council and diocesan pastoral council. He is currently
episcopal chancellor, adjunct judicial vicar of the Triveneto
Regional Ecclesiastic Tribunal, and lecturer in canon law at the
diocesan seminary. In 2005 he was named Chaplain of His Holiness. He
succeeds Bishop Lucio Soravito De Franceschi, whose resignation from
the pastoral care of the same diocese upon reaching the age limit was
accepted by the Holy Father.
- appointed Fr. Francois Touvet as
bishop of Chalons (area 6,501, population 265,000, Catholics 258,500,
priests 76, permanent deacons 17, religious 76), France. The
bishop-elect was born in Paris, France in 1965 and was ordained a
priest in 1992. He holds a licentiate in theology from the Institut
Catholique de Lyon, and has served in a number of roles in the
dioceses of Dijon - including pastoral vicar, parish priest, diocesan
chaplain, dean, and vicar general – and Langres, where he served as
pastor of the Cathedral and episcopal vicar for the southern pastoral
zone. He is currently vicar general of Langres. He succeeds Bishop
Gilbert Louis, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same
diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.
- appointed Fr. Joao Muniz Alves,
O.F.M., as bishop prelate of Xingu (area 368,092, population 429,000,
Catholics 330,000, priests 30, religious 67), Brazil. The
bishop-elect was born in Carema, Brazil in 1961, gave his religious
vows in 1986 and was ordained a priest in 1993. He holds a licentiate
and doctorate in philosophy from the Pontifical Antonianum University
and a doctorate in moral theology from the Pontifical Alphonsianum
Academy, and has served in a number of pastoral roles including
parish vicar, deputy master of postulants, parish priest, definitor
of the Francescan vice-Province “Nossa Senhora da Assuncao” in
Bacabal, member of the presbyteral council, provincial minister and
visitator general of the Franciscan Province of Mozambique. He is
currently guardian of the Franciscan community at Sao Luis do
Maranhao, parish vicar, formator and professor of moral theology. He
succeeds Bishop Erwin Krautler, C.PP.S., whose resignation from the
pastoral care of the same territorial prelature upon reaching the age
limit was accepted by the Holy Father.
- Fr. Justin Mulenga as bishop of Mpika
(area 86,135, population 548,000, Catholics 133,511, priests 36,
religious 84), Zambia. The bishop-elect was born in Rosa Mission,
Kasama, Zambia in 1955 and was ordained a priest in 1993. He has
served in a number of pastoral roles, including parish vicar, bursar
general of the archdiocese of Kasama, parish priest, and episcopal
vicar for religious and the deaconry of Mbala. He is currently
president of the association of diocesan clergy and pastoral
coordinator.