The Holy Father appointed:
- Fr. Argemiro de Azevedo, C.M.F., as bishop of Assis (area 31,412, population 311,000, Catholics 273,000, priests 43, religious 35), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in 1952 in Fernandópolis, São Paulo, Brazil, gave his vows in 1975 and was ordained a priest in 1980. He studied philosophy in the Claretian Seminary of Rio Claro and theology at the Studium Theologicum of Curitiba, followed by a course in pedagogy in the Faculdades Claretianas de Batatais. He holds a degree in education from the São Marcos University in São Paulo. Within his religious institute he has served in the roles of director of students in philosophy at Ribeirão Preto, pastor of the Imaculado Coração de Maria parish in Batatais, administrator of the Claretian University Centre in Batatais, director and administrator of the college and of the Claretian faculties in São Paulo. He currently exercises his priestly ministry in the diocese of Araçatuba, as pastor of the Imaculado Coração de Maria parish, judge auditor, assessor for family pastoral ministry, and member of the presbyteral council and college of consulters.
- Bishop Victor Emilio Masalles Pere, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, as bishop of Baní (area 892, population 846,000, Catholics 749,000, priests 37, permanent deacons 17, religious 74), Dominican Republic.
- Fr. Carlos Tomás Morel Diplán as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Santiago de los Caballeros (area 3,633, population 1,349,000, Catholics 1,129,000, priests 130, permanent deacons 162, religious 334), Dominican Republic. The bishop-elect was born in 1969 in Monte de la Jagua, Dominican Republic, and was ordained a priest in 2000. He holds a bachelor’s degree and licentiate in philosophy, and a bachelor’s degree in theology and licentiate in religious sciences from the Pontifical Seminary “Santo Tomás de Aquino” in Santo Domingo, and a licentiate in moral theology from the Alphonsianum Institute, Rome. He also holds a diploma in university teaching from the Pontifical Catholic University “Madre y Maestra” in Santiago de los Caballeros. He has served in a number of roles, including vice-rector of the St. Pius X Minor Seminary, coordinator of vocational pastoral ministry and head of archdiocesan work for vocations; director of the St. Pius X Lyceum-Seminary, parish vicar and administrator, vice-rector of the Santo Tomás de Aquino school of philosophy, Santiago, and director of the St. Pius X School for the permanent diaconate. He is currently rector of the Fernando Arturo Meriño seminary and the St. Pius X minor seminary, professor at the Pontifical Catholic University “Madre y Maestra”, member of the college of consulters, the presbyteral council and the ecclesiastical tribunal, rector of the major seminary and the seminary for adult vocations, and pastor of the Santa Ana and San Mateo parishes.
- Fr. Michael Czerny, S.J., and Fr. Fabio Baggio, C.S., as under-secretaries of the dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, occupied specifically in the care of migrants and refugees, with effect from 1 January 2017. Fr. Czerny is a consulter of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and Fr. Baggio is president of the Scalabrini International Migration Institute, incorporated in the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical Urbanian University.
