Resignation of archbishop of Mariana, Brazil, and appointment of successor

Resignation of bishop of Daloa, Cote d’Ivoire, and appointment of successor

Resignation of bishop of Nacala, Mozambique, and appointment of successor

Erection of the diocese of Chiang Rai, Thailand, and appointment of the first bishop

Appointment of bishop of Paranavaí, Brazil

Appointment of bishop of Thanh Hoa, Viêt Nam

Appointment of bishop of Batouri, Cameroon

Resignation of archbishop of Mariana, Brazil, and appointment of successor

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Mariana, Brazil, presented by H.E. Msgr. Geraldo Lyrio Rocha.

The Pope has appointed as metropolitan archbishop of Mariana, Brazil, H.E. Msgr. Airton José dos Santos, transferring him from the metropolitan see of Campinas.

H.E. Msgr. Airton José dos Santos

H.E. Msgr. Airton José dos Santos was born on 25 June 1956 in Bom Repouso, in the archdiocese of Pouso Alegre, in the State of Minas Gerais. He attended a course in philosophy in the in the FAI – Faculdades Associadas do Ipiranga, and in theology in the Pontifical Theological Faculty Nossa Senhora da Assunção of the archdiocese of São Paulo. He holds a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

On 8 December 1985 he received priestly ordination and was incardinated in the diocese of Santo André, where he held the following positions: parish vicar; rector of the seminary of philosophy; regional vicar; member of the presbyteral council and of the College of Consultors; diocesan coordinator of vocational pastoral care and family pastoral care; pastor; chancellor and diocesan bursar.

On 19 December 2001 he was named auxiliary bishop of Santo André and received episcopal ordination on 2 March 2002. On 4 August 2004 he was nominated as bishop of Mogi das Cruzes and on 15 February 2012 he was appointed as archbishop of Campinas.

He has served as secretary of the Sul 1 Regional Episcopal Council and president of the liturgy commission; at national level he was president of the Episcopal Commission for the Ecclesiastical Courts of Appeals, and member of the Episcopal Commission for the implementation of the Brazil-Holy See Agreement.

He is currently president of the Sul 1 Regional Episcopal Council of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) which includes the dioceses of the State of São Paulo.

Resignation of bishop of Daloa, Cote d’Ivoire, and appointment of successor

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Daloa, Cote d’Ivoire, presented by H.E. Msgr. Maurice Konan Kouassi.

The Pope has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Daloa, Cote d’Ivoire, H.E. Msgr. Marcellin Kouadio Yao, currently bishop of Yamoussoukro.

Resignation of bishop of Nacala, Mozambique, and appointment of successor

The Pope has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Nacala, Mozambique, presented by H.E. Msgr. Germano Grachane, C.M.

The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Nacala, Mozambique, H.E. Msgr. Alberto Vera Aréjula, O. de. M., currently auxiliary of Xai-Xai.

Erection of the diocese of Chiang Rai, Thailand, and appointment of the first bishop

The Holy Father has erected the new diocese of Chiang Rai in Thailand, using territory from the diocese of Chiang Mai, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan see of Bangkok.

The Holy Father has appointed as first bishop of the new diocese of Chiang Rai, Thailand, the Rev. Joseph Vuthiler Haelom, of the clergy of Bangkok, currently vicar general of the same archdiocese.

The newly-erected diocese of Chiang Rai (Latin name Chiangraien[sis]), situated in the north-eastern region of the country, will include four provinces (Chiang Rai, Nan, Phayao, and Phrae), as well as the district of Ngao of the province of Lampang.

It will be a suffragan of the archdiocese of Bangkok. The episcopal see will be in Chiang Rai. The Nativity of Our Lady parish church in Chiang Rai will be the Cathedral Church of the new circumscription.

The following are the statistical data relating to the two dioceses:

Rev. Joseph Vuthilert Haelom

The Rev. Joseph Vuthilert Haelom was born on 17 December 1951 in Lamsai, in the Pathumthani Province of the archdiocese of Bangkok. He entered the diocesan minor seminary in Bangkok and subsequently completed his philosophical and theological studies at the Lux Mundi National Seminary in Sampran. He was ordained a priest on 3 August 1980, and incardinated in the archdiocese of Bangkok.

He has held the following positions: parish vicar of Assumption Cathedral Church in Bangkok (1980-1981); parish priest of St. Theresa’s Church in Nongjok (1981-1985);

1985-1989: Parish priest of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Bangkok; director of Saint Joseph Upatham School and vice-rector of the Saint Joseph minor seminary in Bangkok (1989-1995); director of the diocesan commission for social works and parish priest of Holy Rosary Church in Bangkok (1995-2000); rector of the Pastoral Centre in Sampran (2000-2004); parish priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Chiang Mai (fidei donum) (2004-2012); vicar general of the diocese of Chiang Mai (fidei donum); and vicar general of the archdiocese of Bangkok (since 2012).

Appointment of bishop of Paranavaí, Brazil

The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Paranavaí, Brazil, the Rev. Mário Spaki, of the clergy of the diocese of Ponta Grossa, currently executive secretary of the Sul 2 Regional Episcopal Council of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), based in Curitiba.

H.E. Msgr. Mário Spaki

H.E. Msgr. Mário Spaki was born on 14 December in Irati, in the diocese of Ponta Grossa, in the State of Paraná. He completed his studies in philosophy in the Mater Ecclesiae Institute of Philosophy and Theology in Ponta Grossa, and in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1998), where he also obtained a licentiate in dogmatic theology (2001). In addition, he attended a journalism course at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná in Curitiba.

On 3 August 2003 he was ordained a priest and incardinated in the diocese of Ponta Grossa, where he served as parish vicar of São José (2003) and as rector of the São José Philosophy Seminary (2004-2012).

Since 2013 he has served as executive secretary of the Sul 2 Regional Episcopal Council of the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB), based in Curitiba.

Appointment of bishop of Thanh Hoa, Viêt Nam

The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of Thanh Hoa, Viêt Nam, the Rev. Joseph Nguyen Duc Cuong, of the clergy of Da Lat, currently parish priest and dean of the deanery of Madagui.

Rev. Joseph Nguyen Duc Cuong

The Rev. Joseph Nguyen Duc Cuong was born on 14 October 1953 in Quang Truong, in the diocese of Thanh Hoa. He attended the Simon Hoa minor seminary and the major seminary of Da Lat. He then continued his studies at the Pontifical Saint Pius X College in Da Lat. Finally, he completed his priestly formation at the Saint Joseph major seminary in Saigon. In 2012 he held a leadership course at the East Asian Pastoral Institute in Manila, Philippines.

He was ordained a priest on 27 June 1992, for the diocese of Da Lat.

Since priestly ordination he has held the following positions: vicar of the parish of Tan Thanh, Bao Loc (1992-2001); vicar of the parish of Tan Bui, Bao Loc (2001-2005); parish priest of Tan Bui, Bao Loc (2005-2015); and parish priest and dean of Madagui (since 2015).

Appointment of bishop of Batouri, Cameroon

The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of Batouri, Cameroon, the Rev. Marcellin-Marie Ndabnyemb, of the clergy of Douala, currently director of the Notre Dame College of Douala.

Rev. Marcellin-Marie Ndabnyemb

The Rev. Marcellin-Marie Ndabnyemb was born on 2 June 1965 in Logbikoy, in the current diocese of Edea. After completing his studies in philosophy and theology at the Paul VI Interdiocesan Major Seminary of Douala, he obtained a licentiate in spiritual theology from the Teresianum Institute in Rome. He was ordained a priest on 13 April 1996, and incardinated in the archdiocese of Douala.

Since ordination, he has held the following offices: teacher at the Saint Paul minor seminary in Nylon, Douala (1996-2001); studies for the licentiate in spiritual theology at the Teresianum, in Rome (2001-2003); professor and spiritual father at the Paul VI Interdiocesan Major Seminary, in Douala (2003-2014); and director of the Notre Dame des Nations College of Douala (since 2014).