Resignation of president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See and appointment of successor
Resignation of metropolitan archbishop of Évora, Portugal, and appointment of the new metropolitan archbishop
Resignation of bishop of Baton Rouge, United States of America, and appointment of successor
Appointment of the archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church
Resignation of president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See and appointment of successor
The Holy Father Francis has accepted the resignation from the office of president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, presented by His Eminence Cardinal Domenico Calcagno upon reaching the age limit, and has called to succeed him in the same office Msgr. Nunzio Galantino, bishop emeritus of Cassano all’Jonio, currently secretary general of the Italian Episcopal Conference.
Resignation of metropolitan archbishop of Évora, Portugal, and appointment of the new metropolitan archbishop
The Holy Father has accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the metropolitan archdiocese of Évora, Portugal, presented by H.E. Msgr. José Francisco Sanches Alves.
The Pope has appointed metropolitan archbishop of the archdiocese of Évora, Portugal, H.E. Msgr. Francisco José Villas-Boas Senra de Faria Coelho, currently titular bishop of Plestia and auxiliary of Braga.
H.E. Msgr. Francisco José Villas-Boas Senra de Faria Coelho
H.E. Msgr. Francisco José Villas-Boas Senra de Faria Coelho was born on 12 March 1961, in Mozambique, to a Portuguese family. Returning to Portugal after the independence of the colonies, he attended the minor seminary and philosophy course in the archdiocese of Braga. In 1980 he moved on to the major seminary of Évora, where he completed his theological studies. He was ordained a priest on 29 June 1986.
Since priestly ordination he obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Pontifical Athenaeum Antonianum in Rome; a bachelor’s degree in theology, from the Pontifical Salesian University, and a licentiate in Ecclesiastical History from the Pontifical Gregorian University (1988-1991). In 2008 he also obtained a Ph.D. in history from the Phoenix International University in the United States.
During his priestly ministry he has served as lecturer at the Évora Higher Institute of Theology; Cathedral canon; spiritual director of Christianity courses and the Fátima Message Movement; and religious assistant and collaborator at Radio Renascença. He has served as pastor of the parishes of Nossa Senhora de Fátima, São Marcos and Nossa Senhora da Consolação and member of the presbyteral council. The author of several books, he has a column in the weekly journal of the archdiocese of Évora.
On 29 June 2014 he was elected auxiliary bishop of Braga. Within the Episcopal Conference he is currently part of the Episcopal Commission Laicado e Família.
Resignation of bishop of Baton Rouge, United States of America, and appointment of successor
The Holy Father Francis has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Baton Rouge, United States of America, presented by H.E. Msgr. Robert William Muench.
The Pope has appointed as bishop of Baton Rouge, United States of America, H.E. Msgr. Michael Gerard Duke, currently bishop of Shreveport.
H.E. Msgr. Michael Gerard Duke
H.E. Msgr. Michael Gerard Duke was born on 5 June 1952 in Dallas, in the diocese of the same name. He completed his ecclesiastical studies at the Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving (1970-1978). He subsequently he obtained a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome (1994-1996).
He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Dallas on 29 April 1978.
Since ordination he has served as deputy pastor of the All Saints Parish in Dallas (1978-1981), of the Saint Patrick Parish in Dallas (1981-1984) and later of the Saint Luke Parish in Irving (1984-1985). He was chaplain for Catholic students at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas (1985-1993), diocesan director of vocations (1985-1992) and rector of the Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving (1996-2008).
In 2008 he was appointed as bishop of Shreveport.
Appointment of the archivist and librarian of the Holy Roman Church
The Pope has appointed as archivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church the Rev. José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça, until now Vice Rector of the University Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon, at the same time raising him to the Episcopal seat of Suava, with dignity as Archbishop. He will take up the new position starting from 1 September 2018.
Rev. José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça
The Rev. José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça was born in Madeira, Portugal, on 15 December 1965.
He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Funchal, Madeira, on 28 July 1990.
He obtained a licentiate in theology from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon in 1989; and a licentiate in biblical sciences at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome in 1992.
He obtained a doctorate in biblical theology from the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon in 2004.
He has served as lecturer at the diocesan seminary of Funchal, rector of the Pontifical Portuguese College in Rome, vice rector and lecturer at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Lisbon, and visiting lecturer at the Catholic Universities of Pernambuco and Rio de Janeiro; and at the Faculty of Philosophy and Theology of Belo Horizonte (Brazil). In addition, he has served as consulter of the Pontifical Council for Culture since 2011.
He has published numerous volumes and articles in the fields of theology and exegesis, as well as various poetic works.
