The Holy Father has appointed Fr. Jean-Pierre Cottanceau, SS.CC., as archbishop of Papeete (area 2,675, population , Catholics , priests , permanent deacons , religious ), Tahiti, French Polynesia. The archbishop-elect was born in 1953 in Ussel, France, gave his religious vows in 1979 and was ordained a priest in 1980. He holds a doctorate in biblical theology from the University of Strasbourg, and has served in a number of roles, including chaplain of the Hélène Boucher and Maurice Ravel middle schools in Paris, head of the minor seminary in Graves, provincial advisor for the southern region (Picpus) for two mandates; Superior of Picpus of Pirae; head of early formation, lecturer in sacred scripture at the major seminary of Papeete; animator of theological courses for the laity, university chaplain, pastor of the Sacré-Coeur parish, Arue, Papeete; and formator of seminarians in the Prenovitiate Damian Formation Centre in Quezon City, Manila, Philippines. He is currently apostolic administrator of Papeete.