Other Pontifical Acts

Vatican City, 22 February 2016 (VIS) – The Holy Father has appointed Fr. Angel Antonio Recinos Lemus as bishop of Zacapa y Santo Cristo de Esquipulas (area 5,066. population 613,000, Catholics 528,000, priests 32, permanent deacons 1, religious 68), Guatemala. The bishop-elect was born in Azulco, Guatemala in 1963 and was ordained a priest in 1994. He holds a licentiate in biblical theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and has served in a number of academic, administrative and pastoral roles, including seminary professor, director of the Institute of Theology of the National Seminary, head of pastoral ministry of indigenous peoples, representative of Guatemale in the information network of the Church in Latin America, co-ordinator of the pastoral commission for the defence of the environment, and parish priest in various parishes. He is currently parish priest of Nuestra Senora de Lourdes and in El Progreso Achuapa, Jutiapa.

On Saturday, 20 February, the Holy Father appointed Bishop Ricardo Lingan Baccay, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Tuguegarao, Philippines, as bishop of Alaminos (area 24,492, population 684,000, Catholics 565,000, priests 52, religious 111), Philippines.