Resignation of bishop of Chicoutimi, Canada and appointment of successor
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Gliwice, Poland
Appointment of coadjutor bishop of the Caroline Islands, Micronesia
Resignation of bishop of Chicoutimi, Canada and appointment of successor
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Chicoutimi, Canada, presented by His Excellency Rev. Msgr. André Rivest.
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of Chicoutimi, Canada, the Rev. René Guay, of the clergy of the same diocese, currently chaplain of the detention centres of Québec.
Rev. René Guay
The Rev. René Guay was born on 4 September 1950 in Saint-Thomas-Didyme, Québec, in the diocese of Chicoutimi. From 1963 to 1968 he attended the major seminary of Chicoutimi and continued his secondary studies at the Cégep in the same city.
In 1970 he entered the major seminary of Chicoutimi and obtained a diploma in theology. From 1973 to 1975, in the Faculty of Theology of Laval University he obtained a degree in theology. He was ordained a priest on 13 July 1975 for the diocese of Chicoutimi.
In 1979, as an associate of the Societé des Missions Etrangères, he began his activity as a missionary in Chile, where he remained until 1992, the year in which he definitively re-entered his original diocese. In Chile he was parish priest and also dean of the archdiocese of Santiago, and subsequently parish priest in the diocese of San Bernardo.
He returned to Canada where he attended an intensive course in formation for spiritual guides with the Jesuits of Villa Manrèse, Ste-Foy. From 1993 to 2004 he was spiritual director of the major seminary of Chicoutimi. In the years 1999 to 2015 he was Chaplain of the Detention Centre of Chicoutimi and from 2015 to the present, animator of detention centres in Québec.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Gliwice, Poland
The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Gliwice, Poland, Msgr. Andrzej Iwanecki, currently pastor of the parish of Saint Francis of Assisi in Zabrze, assigning him the titular see of Arcavica.
H.E. Msgr. Andrzej Iwanecki
H.E. Msgr. Andrzej Iwanecki was born on 3 November 1960 in Siemianowice Śląskie, archdiocese of Katowice. After passing his high school examinations he was admitted to the major seminary of Katowice and on 27 March 1986 he was ordained a priest for that archdiocese.
Since priestly ordination he has held the following offices: parish vicar in Orzesze (1986-1989); vicar of the parish of the Most Holy Trinity in Bielsko-Biała (1989-1990); parish vicar in Tarnowski Góry-Strzybnica. In 1992 he was incardinated in the new diocese of Gliwice in which from 1995 to 1998 he was parish vicar in the parish of Saint Francis of Assisi in Zabrze. Since 1998 he has served as pastor of the same parish.
In 2008 Msgr. Iwanecki was named Chaplain of His Holiness. He is currently also member of the college of consultors and of the presbyteral council.
Appointment of coadjutor bishop of the Caroline Islands, Micronesia
The Holy Father has appointed Rev. Julio Angkel, of the clergy of the Caroline Islands and currently pastor of the Holy Family Parish, director of the Vocations and Formation Office, and director of the St. John Vianney Formation House, as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of the Caroline Islands, in Micronesia.
Rev. Julio Angkel
The Rev. Julio Angkel was born in the island of Parem, Chuuk State, in the Federated States of Micronesia. He studied at local Catholic schools (Chuuk High School) and at the University of Guam, where he resided for his discernment. In 1976, he began his journey to priestly formation at the San Jose Seminary at the University of Manila in the Philippines. Subsequently he transferred to the Pacific Regional Seminary of Suva, Fiji. He was ordained a priest on 13 December 1983, as the second Chuukese priest in the history of the diocese. He has carried out his pastoral ministry in most parishes in the Vicariate of Chuuk and has a good knowledge of the parishes in the vicariates of Pohnpei and Kosrae.
Since ordination he has held the following offices: service in the parish of Nomisofo, Vicariate of Chuuk (1984-1986); service in the Assumption Parish, vicariate of Chuuk (1986-1990); sabbatical year at Berkeley Spirituality Center, California (1990-1991); parish priest in various parishes in the Vicariate of Chuuk (1992-2004); training programme at the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila (2004-2005); director of the new Caroline Pastoral Institute (CPI) and of the diocesan college for Micronesia (2005-2010); episcopal vicar of Pohnpei and Kosrae, with residence in Pohnpei (2010 - 2015); Teacher and formator at the Pacific Regional Seminary in the archdiocese of Suva, Fiji (2012-2013); vicario general; coordinator of the Commission for Justice and Development and of various pastoral programs of the Vicariate (2012 - 2015); and since 2015, pastor of the Holy Family Parish in Chuuk, director of the vocational and training office; and director of the St. John Vianney Formation House.
