Resignation of bishop of Benjamín Aceval, Paraguay, and appointment of successor
Appointment of bishop of Carapeguá, Paraguay
Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Uruguay
Appointment of member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences
Appointment of special envoy at the celebration of the Fifth American Missionary Congress (Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, 9-14 July 2018)
Resignation of bishop of Benjamín Aceval, Paraguay, and appointment of successor
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Benjamín Aceval, Paraguay, presented by H.E. Msgr. Cándido Cárdenas Villalba.
The Pope has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Benjamín Aceval the Rev. Amancio Francisco Benítez Candia, of the clergy of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo, Paraguay, currently director of the National Major Preparatory Seminary.
Rev. Amancio Francisco Benítez Candia
The Rev. Amancio Francisco Benítez Candia was born on 10 February 1973 in Cerroguy-Itapé, department of the Guaira. He completed his philosophical studies at the “San José” National Major Seminary in Lambaré, Asunción, and his theological studies at the Catholic University of Asunción. He was ordained a priest on 24 April 1999 for the diocese of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo. He completed his studies for the licentiate in sacred liturgy at the Pontifical Sant’Anselmo Athenaeum of Rome from 2006 to 2010.
Following priestly ordination he served as vicar of the “San Pablo”parish of Caazapá and spiritual counsellor for youth ministry (1999-2001), member of the team of formators and professor of liturgy of the National Major Propedeutics Seminary of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo (2002-2005), parish priest of the “Santa Clara” parish of Iturbe (2010-2014), and secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Liturgy of the Episcopal Conference of Paraguay (2013-2014). Since 2015 he has served as director of the National Major Propedeutics Seminary.
Appointment of bishop of Carapeguá, Paraguay
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Carapeguá, Paraguay, the Rev. Celestino Ocampo Gaona, of the clergy of San Juan Bautista de las Misiones, currently episcopal vicar for economic affairs and parish priest of the Cathedral.
Rev. Celestino Ocampo Gaona
The Rev. Celestino Ocampo Gaona was born on 19 May 1961 in Curuzú Cuatiá, in the department of Ñeembucu. He completed his philosophical studies at the “San José” National Major Seminary in Lambaré, Asunción, and his theological studies at the Catholic University of Asunción. He was ordained a priest on 24 April 1993, and was incardinated in San Juan Bautista de las Misiones. He completed his studies for the licentiate in moral theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome from 1996 to 1999.
Following priestly ordination he served as vicar of the “Inmaculada Concepción” parish (1993-1994), rector of the diocesan minor seminary and parish vicar of the Cathedral (1994-1996), spiritual director at the “San José” National Major Seminary of Lambaré, Asunción (1999-2002), rector of the same (2002-2007), and then spiritual director (2007-2010). He was also parish administrator of various parishes (2010-2012), parish priest of “San Miguel Arcángel” (2012-2014). Since 2014 he has been parish priest of the Cathedral of San Juan Bautista de las Misiones, episcopal vicar for economic affairs and, at national level, director of the Permanent Formation of the Clergy of the Episcopal Conference of Paraguay.
Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Uruguay
The Holy Father has appointed as apostolic nuncio in Uruguay H.E. Msgr. Martin Krebs, titular archbishop of Taborenta, currently apostolic nuncio in New Zealand, Fiji, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Vanuatu and Tonga, and apostolic delegate in the Pacific Ocean.
Appointment of member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences
The Holy Father has appointed the Most Distinguished Professor Mohamed Hag Ali Hassan, professor of mathematics at the University of Khartoum and president of the Sudanense National Academy of Sciences, Sudan, as ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
Professor Mohamed Hag Ali Hassan
Professor Mohamed Hag Ali Hassan, born in Elgetina, Sudan, on 21 November 1947, is president of the Sudanese National Academy of Sciences (SNAS); chairman of the Committee of Trustees of Almashriq University, Sudan; chairman of the Governing Council of the United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries, Turkey; and president of the International Advisory Council of the Centre for International Development (ZEF), Germany.
He has also served as president of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP); founding executive director of the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS); president of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS); founding president of the Network of African Academies of Sciences (NASAC); and president of the Council of the United Nations University (UNU).
After graduating in mathematics from the University of Oxford, he returned to Sudan as a lecturer at the University of Khartoum, where he was appointed professor and dean of the School of Mathematical Sciences. He has to his credit a wide range of scientific publications concerning the theoretical physics of plasma and fusion energy; wind erosion, and the transport of dust and sandy particles in arid lands. He has also published numerous articles on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in developing countries. He has received various honours and is a member of numerous academies.
Appointment of special envoy at the celebration of the Fifth American Missionary Congress (Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, 9-14 July 2018)
The Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, as his special envoy at the celebration of the Fifth American Missionary Congress, to be held in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, from 9 to 14 July 2018.
