The Holy Father has appointed Fr. Giovanni Salonia, O.F.M. Cap., as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Palermo (area 1,366, population 931,891, Catholics 890,000, priests 477, permanent deacons 41, religious 1,247), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in 1947 in Ragusa, Italy, gave his religious vows in 1968, and was ordained a priest in 1971. He holds a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical University Antonianum, Rome; a licentiate in science of education from the Pontifical Salesian University; and a specialisation in Gestalt psychotherapy from the Gestalt Training Centre, San Diego, California.

Within his Order he has served as director of students in Ragusa (1978-1981); provincial definitor (1980-1986); provincial vicar (1989-1991); provincial minister (1992-2001 and 2007-2010); superior and master of post-novices in Modica (2001-2007). He is currently head of permanent formation for the Capuchin Province of Siracusa. His academic roles include lecturer in psychology and pastoral counselling in the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Sicily in Palermo; co-director of the postgraduate specialist school of psychotherapy at the Gestalt Human Centre Communication Italy (Ragusa-Rome-Venice); lecturer at the Pontifical University Antonianum; participant in the diploma course in family pastoral ministry at the Pontifical Gregorian University; lecturer at the San Paolo Theological Institute, Catania; and lecturer in social psychology at the LUMSA, Palermo.