Vatican City, 7 May 2016 – The Holy Father has:

- accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the eparchy of Parma of the Ruthenians, U.S.A., presented by Bishop John Kudrick in accordance with canon 210 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Oriental Churches, and appointed Archbishop William Charles Skurla of Pittsburgh of the Byzantines as apostolic administrator sede vacante of the same eparchy.

- appointed Bishop John Stephen Pazak, C.Ss.R., formerly of the eparchy of "Sts. Cyril and Methodius of Toronto" of the Slovakians of Byzantine Rite, Canada, as bishop of the eparchy of "Holy Mary of Protection" of Phoenix of the Ruthenians (Catholics 2,706, priests 29, permanent deacons 11, religious 8) U.S.A. He succeeds Bishop Gerald Nicholas Dino, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same eparchy in accordance with canon 210 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Oriental Churches was accepted by the Holy Father.

- appointed Bishop John Stephen Pazak, C.Ss.R., of the eparchy of "Holy Mary of Protection" of Phoenix of the Ruthenians, U.S.A., as apostolic administrator sede vacante of the eparchy of Sts. Cyril and Methodius of the Slovakians of Byzantine rite in Canada.

- accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the eparchy of "St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego" of the Chaldeans, U.S.A., presented by Bishop Sarhad Yawsip Jamma, in accordance with canon 210, para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Oriental Churches, and appointed Bishop Shlemon Warduni, auxiliary of Baghdad of the Chaldeans, as apostolic administrator sede vacante of the same eparchy.

- appointed Msgr. Nelson Jair Cardona Ramirez as bishop of San José del Guaviare (area 42,327, population 128, 000, Catholics 122,400, priests 20, religious 11), Colombia. The bishop-elect was born in 1969 in Norcasia, Colombia, and was ordained a priest in 1992. He holds a degree in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, and a doctorate in theology from the Theological Pastoral Institute for Latin America (ITEPAL). He has served in a number of roles, including diocesan delegate for youth and vocational pastoral ministry, parish priest, seminary professor and formator and parish administrator. He is currently diocesan delegate for ordained ministers, professor at the ITEPAL, and pastor of the "Santísima Trinidad" parish in Puerto Salgar.

- accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Xuân Loc in Vietnam presented by Bishop Dominique Ngûyen Chu Trinh upon reaching the age limit. He is succeeded by Bishop Joseph Dinh Dúrc Dao, coadjutor of the same diocese.

- accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Czestochowa, Poland, presented by Bishop Antoni Dlugosz upon reaching the age limit.

- appointed Msgr. Krzysztof Stefan Wlodarczyk as auxilary of Koszalin-Kolobrzeg (area 14,640, population 912,929, Catholics 833,058, priests 570, religious 363), Poland. The bishop-elect was born in Slawno, Poland in 1981 and was ordained a priest in 1987. He holds a doctorate in theology from the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University of Warsaw, and has served in a number of roles including director of the diocesan office for family pastoral ministry, defender of the bond and judge in the episcopal tribunal of Koszalin, diocesan head of the domestic Church (Light and Life Movement), founder and director of the diocesan Centre for Education and Formation in Koszalin and vice-rector of the major seminary. He is currently director of the diocesan pastoral office, judge of the episcopal tribunal and member of the presbyteral council.

- accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Southwark, England presented by Bishop John Hine upon reaching the age limit.

- appointed Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, O.P., archbishop of Vienna, Austria, as special envoy to the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the erection of the archdiocese of Minsk-Mohilev, Belarus, to be held in Budslau from 1 to 2 July.