Resignation of bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, England, and appointment of successor

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Uganda

Resignation of bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, England, and appointment of successor

The Holy Father Francis has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Hexham and Newcastle, England, presented by H.E .Msgr. Séamus Cunningham.

The Pope has appointed as bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, England, H.E. Msgr. Robert Byrne, C.O., transferring him from the titular see of Cuncacestre and from the office of auxiliary of Birmingham.

H.E. Msgr. Robert Byrne, C.O.

H.E. Msgr. Robert Byrne, C.O., was born in Urmston, Lancashire, on 22 September 1956. He carried out his high school studies at St. Bede’s Grammar School and his university studies at King’s College, University of London.

In 1980 he entered the Birmingham Oratory and was ordained a priest on 5 January 1985.

Subsequently, with another two confreres, he transferred to the parish of Saint Aloysius, Oxford, to found a new oratory (1993). From 1993 to 2011 he was provost of the oratory in Oxford, at the same time holding the offices of chaplain in the prisons of Oxford and then Bullingdon; governor of the Oratory School (since 1996) and member of various of its committees; and finally as president of the Permanent Deputation of the International Confederation of Oratories (since 2000).

In 2011 he was appointed as secretary of the Department for Dialogue and Unity of the Episcopal Conference of England and Wales.

On 15 March 2014 he was elected as titular bishop of Cuncacestre and auxiliary of the archdiocese of Birmingham, receiving episcopal consecration the following 13 May.

Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Uganda

The Holy Father has appointed as apostolic nuncio in Uganda H.E. Msgr. Luigi Bianco, titular archbishop of Falerone, currently apostolic nuncio in Ethiopia and Djibouti, and apostolic delegate in Somalia.