The Holy Father has appointed:
- Fr. Gregory Homeming, O.C.D., as bishop of Lismore (area 28,660, population 496,400, Catholics 115,100, priests 53, permanent deacons 2, religious 107), Australia. The bishop-elect was born in 1957 in Victoria, Australia, gave his religious vows in 1987 and was ordained a priest in 1991. He studied economics and law and the University of Sydney, then completed his priestly studies at the Yarra Theological Union, and obtained a Master’s degree in philosophy from Melbourne University. He also holds a diploma in theology from the Catholic Theological College of Melbourne. He has served in various parishes and has dedicated himself to the ministry of guiding spiritual retreats, and was prior of the Carmelite community in Varroville and St. Ives. He is currently regional vicar of the Discalced Carmelites in Australia. He succeeds Bishop Jeffrey H. Jarrett, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese was accepted by the Holy Father.
- Fr. Allwyn D’Silva and Fr. Barthol Barreto as auxiliaries of the archdiocese of Bombay (area 10,103, population 21,204,000, Catholics 517,001, priests 605, permanent deacons 10, religious 2,014), India.
Bishop-elect D’Silva was born in 1948 in Mumbai, in the archdiocese of Bombay, and was ordained a priest in 1975. He studied philosophy and theology in the St. Pius X College, Bombay, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in political sciences and economics from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in political sciences from Mumbai University. He has served in the following pastoral roles: vicar various parishes; head of vocations; dean of the South East Salsette Deanery; priest in charge in the St. Jude Church in Maladi East and in St. Anthony’s Church in Dharavi; dean of the North Mumbai deanery; pastor of the Our Lady of Nazareth parish in Bhayandar; and dean of the Bhayandar deanery. He is currently pastor of the St. John the Baptist parish in Thane and episcopal vicar of Bombay. He is also member of the pastoral council, the presbyteral council, the commission for justice and peace, co-president of the Centre for Peace Trust, director of the archiepiscopal office for the environment, director of Prison Ministry India in Mumbai, and secretary of the Climate Change Desk of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC).
Bishop-elect Barreto was born in 1961 in Mahim, Mumbai, and was ordained a priest in 1989. He carried out his studied in philosophy and theology at the St. Pius X College in Goregaon, Mumbai, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in history from the Bombay University. He has served as parish vicar, adjunct director and subsequently director of the Youth Section of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Bandra; priest in charge of the St. Francis Xavier parish unit in Panvel; pastor of the St. Lawrence parish in Wagle Estate, Thane and dean of the deanery of Thane; secretary to the archbishop; pastor of the St. Thomas parish in Goregaon East and spiritual director of the St. Pius X College in Goregaon. He is currently administrator of the St. Pius X College, dean of the deanery of Borivli, and pastor of the Immaculate Conception parish in Borivli.
- Dr. Barbara Jatta as director of the Vatican Museums with effect from 1 January 2017. She has served as lecturer in history of graphic arts at the University of Naples, Istituto Suor Orsola Benincasa. She entered the Vatican Apostolic Library in 1996, where she served as head of the Cabinet of Prints until 2010, when she became curator of graphics in the Prints Department. Since last June she has served as deputy director of the Vatican Museums.
