Resignation of bishop of Bauru, Brazil, and appointment of successor

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of San Francisco, United States of America

Resignation of bishop of Bauru, Brazil, and appointment of successor

The Holy Father Francis has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Bauru, Brazil, presented by H.E. Msgr. Caetano Ferrari, O.F.M.

The Pope has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Bauru, Brazil, H.E. Msgr. Rubens Sevilha, O.C.D., currently titular bishop of Idassa and auxiliary of the archdiocese of Vitória.

H.E. Msgr. Rubens Sevilha, O.C.D.

H.E. Msgr. Rubens Sevilha, O.C.D., was born on 27 September 1959 in Tarabai, in the diocese of Presidente Prudente, in the State of São Paulo. He completed his studies in philosophy in the Nossa Senhora Medianeira philosophical faculty in São Paulo (1980-1982) and in theology at the Pontifical Theological Teresianum Faculty in Rome (1982-1985).

He gave his religious profession in the Order of Discalced Carmelites on 5 February 1980, and was ordained a priest on 19 October 1985.

Within his Order he has held the following positions: master of postulants and parish vicar in Caratinga-MG (1987-1989); master of novices at São Roque-SP (1990-1993); provincial of the Province of São José based in São Paulo (1994-1996; 2011); superior of the Convent and parish priest of Santa Terezinha in the archdiocese of São Paulo (1997-2002; 2008-2011); superior of the convent and parish priest of Santa Terezinha in the archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro (2003-2005); religious assistant of the Santa Teresa de Jesus Association of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns (1996-2010); and provincial counsellor of the Carmelite Province of São José (2008-2011).

On 21 December 2011 he was appointed as titular bishop of Idassa and auxiliary of the archdiocese of Vitória, receiving episcopal ordination on 18 March 2012.

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of San Francisco, United States of America

The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliary bishop of San Francisco, United States of America, the Rev. Robert F. Christian, O.P., of the “Holy Name” Province, currently dean of studies of the “Western Dominican Province”, assigning him the titular see of Giru di Marcello.

Rev. Fr. Robert Francis Christian, O.P.

The Rev. Robert F. Christian, O.P., was born in San Francisco, California on 2 December 1948. He attended the “Saint Ignatius High School” in San Francisco (1962-1966) and obtained a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of Santa Clara in California (1966-1968 and 1969-1970). During that time he also studied at the “Gonzaga University” in Florence in Italy (1968-1969).

In 1970 he entered the Order of Preachers and completed his ecclesiastical studies at the “Saint Albert College” and the “Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology” in Oakland (1971-1974 and 1975-1977).

In 1974 he gave his solemn vows. He attended the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome (1974-1975) and then served in an academic residence at the “Saint Dominic Parish” in San Francisco (1975-1976).

He was ordained a priest for the Order of Preachers on 4 June 1976.

After ordination, he served as professor of the “Dominican College” in San Rafael (1976-1979) and then served in the parish of the “Blessed Sacrament” in Seattle, Washington (1984-1985). He obtained a licentiate (1981) and doctorate (1984) in theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas in Rome, and later was professor at the same University (1985-1997). From 1997 to 1999 he was socius, vicar and administrator of the “Western Dominican Province”, university professor at the “Graduate Theological Union” in Berkeley, California, and member of the “Clergy Education Board” of the archdiocese of San Francisco. He also served as deputy dean of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas in Rome (1999-2014). After a sabbatical year, in 2015 he became master of students of the “Western Dominican Province”. He served as prior of the Dominican community at the Angelicum in Rome, as well as socius and delegate for the Dominican Provincial Chapter.

He was a peritus in the Synod of Bishops on formation to the priesthood (1990). He is a member of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission and, since 2013, Consultor of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

In addition to English, he knows Italian, French, Latin and Spanish.