Resignation of bishop of Garagoa, Colombia, and appointment of successor
Resignation of bishop of Rrëshen, Albania, and appointment of successor
Resignation of apostolic administrator of Southern Albania and appointment of successor
Appointment of bishop of Sapë, Albania
Appointment of bishop of Tlaxcala, Mexico
Resignation of bishop of Garagoa, Colombia, and appointment of successor
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Garagoa, Colombia, presented by His Excellency Msgr. José Vicente Huertas Vargas.
The Pope has appointed as bishop of Garagoa, Colombia, His Excellency Msgr. Julio Hernando García Peláez, currently bishop of Istmina-Tadó, Colombia.
Msgr. José Vicente Huertas Vargas
Msgr. José Vicente Huertas Vargas was born in Anserma, diocese of Pereira, on 26 July 1958. He completed his ecclesiastical studies in the major seminaries of Manizales and Pereira in Colombia and in the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome, where he obtained a licentiate in patristic theology.
He was ordained a priest by St. John Paul II in Rome on 2 June 1985, and was incardinated in the diocese of Pereira.
During his priestly ministry he has held the following roles: from 1986 to 1994, chancellor of the diocese and parish vicar of the Cathedral; from 1994 to 2001, rector of the “María Inmaculada” major seminary of Pereira; from 2002 to 2003, diocesan vicar for pastoral ministry and from 2004 to 2005, pastor of the Cathedral.
On 11 February he was elected as titular bishop of Bida and auxiliary of Cali; he received episcopal consecrate on the following 2 April.
On 5 June 2010 he was appointed as bishop of Istmina-Tadó.
Resignation of bishop of Rrëshen, Albania, and appointment of successor
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Rrëshen, Albania, presented by His Excellency Msgr. Cristoforo Palmieri, C.M.
The Pope has appointed as bishop of Rrëshen, Albania, Msgr. Gjergj Meta, currently vicar general of the archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës.
Msgr. Gjergj Meta
Msgr. Gjergj Meta was born in Durrës, Albania on 30 April 1976. After concluding his secondary school studies in 1994 entered in the episcopal seminary of Bari, Italy, where he spent his preparatory year.
Between 1995 and 2000 he followed a course for preparation for the priesthood at the Faculty of Theology of the Regional Seminary of Molfetta, Bari.
He was ordained a priest on 21 April 2001 for the then diocese of Durrës-Tiranë.
From 2001 to 2002 he was parish vicar in the co cathedral church of St. Lucia in Durrës.
From 2001 to 2006 he was member of the diocesan presbyteral council.
From 2002 to 2003 he was parish vicar at the cathedral church of St. Paul in Tiranë and, from 2003 to 2006, its parish administrator. In the same period he was also head of university pastoral ministry in the archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës and at national level.
From 2006 to 2009 he attended courses in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, obtaining a licentiate.
From 2009 to 2010 he was again parish vicar in the cathedral church of St. Paul in Tiranë. Since 2009 he has served as member of the presbyteral council and college of consulters, judge at the Albanese Interdiocesan Tribunal of first instance and lecturer in canon law at the Theological Institute of the Interdiocesan Seminary of Shkodër.
From 2009 to 2012 he served as spokesperson for the Albanese Episcopal Conference.
From 2010 to 2013 he was pastor of the parish of “St. John Vianney” in Kamza and administrator of the parishes of Gramza and Luz.
From 2013 to 2016 he was pastor of the co cathedral of St. Lucia in Durrës and dean of the western deanery of the archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës, as well as member of the episcopal commission for the liturgy and for the permanent formation of presbyters.
Since December 2016 he has served as vicar general of the archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës and spokesperson for the Albanese Episcopal Conference.
Resignation of apostolic administrator of Southern Albania and appointment of successor
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the apostolic administration of Southern Albania presented by His Excellency Msgr. Hil Kabashi, O.F.M.
The Pope has appointed as apostolic administrator of Southern Albania the Rev. Fr. Giovanni Peragine, C.R.S.P., currently parish priest of St. Nicholas in Milot, in the archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës, Albania, and president of the Albanese Conference of Major Superiors, elevating him at the same time to the dignity of bishop and assigning him the titular see of Fenice.
Fr. Giovanni Peragine, C.R.S.P.
Fr. Giovanni Peragine was born in Italy in Altamura, Bari, on 25 June 1965.
He entered the “Apostolic School” of the Barnabite Fathers in Altamura on 1 July 1976 where he attended the middle and high schools. He completed his high school examinations at the technico-commercial institute of Bologna.
He entered the house of novices of the Barnabite Fathers in Florence on 15 September 1983, and gave his first vow at in the Congregation of the Clerics Regular of St. Paul (Barnabites) in the “Mother of Divine Providence” parish in Florence on 23 September 1984.
He carried out his studies in philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Urbanian University of Rome, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and theology, and a licentiate in biblical theology.
On 17 November 1991 he gave his solemn vow in the Congregation of Clerics Regular of St. Paul, and on 10 March 1993 he was ordained a priest.
He served as parish vicar and head of youth activities at the “Mother of Divine Providence” parish in Florence.
During his stay in Florence, he served for two years as a teacher of religion at the “Collegio alla Querce” of the Barnabite Fathers.
In October 1998 he was sent as a missionary to Albania, where he exercised the apostolate in the “St. Nicholas” parish of Milot, archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës, and head of formation at the local seminary of the Barnabite Fathers.
Since 2002 he has served as pastor of the St. Nicholas parish of Milot, as well as dean of the north zone of the archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës.
Since 2006 he has served as consulter to the provincial council of Barnabite Fathers in the province of central and southern Italy, and since 2009, president of the Albanese Conference of Major Superiors (KSHEL).
From 2009 to 2012 he was provincial vicar of the centre-south province of the Barnabite Fathers.
Since March 2012 he has held the office of president of the Union of European Conferences of Major Superiors (UCESM).
Appointment of bishop of Sapë, Albania
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of Sapë, Albania, Rev. Simon Kulli, currently diocesan administrator of the same diocese.
Rev. Simon Kulli
The Rev. Simon Kulli was born on 14 February 1973 in the village of Pistull, in the diocese of Sapë, Albania. After attending primary and secondary schools, he entered the Albanese interdiocesan seminary of the “Mother of Good Counsel” in Shkodër. On 29 June 2000 he was ordained a priest in the cathedral of Shkodër, along with four other Albanese deacons. These were the first priestly ordinations in Albania after the fall of the Communist regime.
He was subsequently appointed as parish vicar of Dajç in Zadrima, and secretary of the bishop of Sapë.
In 2002 he was appointed as Chancellor of the Curia.
From 2006 to the present day he has served as parish priest of the “St. Teresa of Calcutta” Cathedral in Vau Dejës, and from 2009 to 2012 he was director of Caritas of the diocese of Sapë.
From 2010 up to 25 May 2016, he was delegate of Caritas, vicar general and diocesan bursar.
After the death of the bishop of Sapë, Msgr. Lucjan Avgustini, he was elected as diocesan administrator of Sapë.
Appointment of bishop of Tlaxcala, Mexico
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Tlaxcala, Mexico, the Rev. Fr. Julio César Salcedo Aquino, M.J., formerly superior general of the Missionaries of St. Joseph in Mexico.
Fr. Julio César Salcedo Aquino, M.J.
Fr. Julio César Salcedo Aquino, M.J., was born in Mexico City on 12 April 1951.
He attended the major seminary of the Missionaries of St. Joseph, subsequently obtaining a licentiate in spirituality from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 17 July 1976, and incardinated in the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Joseph. He then held the following offices: master of novices, coordinator of Josephine vocational pastoral ministry, superior and rector of the Josephine Major Seminary of Mexico City, general counsellor of the Congregation, rector of the theologate, vicar general and first counsellor of the General Governance of his Congregation.
From 2009 to 2015 he was superior general of the Congregation of Missionaries of St. Joseph.
