Resignation of bishop of Chulucanas, Peru, and appointment of successor

Elevation to diocese of the apostolic vicariate of Kontagora, Nigeria, and appointment of first bishop of the new diocese

Appointment of apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Resignation of bishop of Chulucanas, Peru, and appointment of successor

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Chulucanas, Peru, presented by Bishop Daniel Thomas Turley Murphy, O.S.A.

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Cristóbal Bernardo Mejía Corral, of the clergy of the diocese of Lurín, Peru, parish priest of Cristo el Salvador, as bishop of Chulucanas, Peru.

 Bishop-elect Cristóbal Bernardo Mejía Corral

 Bishop-elect Cristóbal Bernardo Mejía Corral was born on 4 December 1954 in the civil province of Carhuaz, Ancash, at that time part of the archdiocese of Lima. Before entering the seminary he carried out Electrical Studies at the “Jorge Chávez” Technical Institute in Lima. He entered the "Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo” major seminary of the archdiocese of Lima and completed his philosophical and theological studies at the Faculty of Pontifical and Civil Theology in Lima (1983-1989). He was ordained a priest on 18 December 1989 for the archdiocese of Lima. In 1996, subsequent to the creation of the diocese of Lurín with territory taken from the archdiocese of Lima, he was incardinated in the new diocese of Lurín.

He has held the following roles in parishes: parish vicar of the “El Niño Jesús” parish, archdiocese of Lima (1989-1992); parish administrator of the “El Niño Jesús” parish, archdiocese of Lima (1992-1994); parish priest of the “San Francisco de Asís” parish, archdiocese of Lima (1992-1998); and from 1998 until the present day: parish priest of the “Cristo el Salvador” parish, diocese of Lurín.

Other offices held include episcopal vicar of the diocese of Lurín (1997-1999); vicar general of the diocese of Lurín (1999-2006); member of the Economic Council of the Diocese of Lurín (since December 2006); member of the council of consultors of the diocese of Lurín (since 2007); vicar forane of Forania IV of the diocese of Lurín (from 2008 until the present).

He also served as spiritual director of the Combonian Missionaries for ten years, and spiritual director of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (1997-2000). From 2017 until today he has served as spiritual father of the Carmelite Missionaries of Villa María del Triunfo, as well as spiritual director of the “Siervas del Evangelio” of Puente de Lurín and the Marist College - H.J.M. (1992-1998).

Elevation to diocese of the apostolic vicariate of Kontagora, Nigeria, and appointment of first bishop of the new diocese

The Holy Father has raised to a diocese the apostolic vicariate of Kontagora, Nigeria, with the same denomination and territorial configuration, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan see of Kaduna.

The Pope has appointed as first bishop of the diocese of Kontagora Msgr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, currently vicar apostolic of the same see.

The diocese of Kontagora, with an area of 46.000 km2, is situated in the centre-north of Nigeria and includes the states of Niger and Kebbi. As an apostolic vicariate it was assisted by Fathers from the African Mission Societies, to whom the Commissio was entrusted. The seat of the new diocese is the same, as well as the Cathedral (“Saint Michael”), the bishop’s residence and the chancellery.

Statistical data for the diocese of Kontagora:

Appointment of apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

The Holy Father has appointed as apostolic prefect with episcopal character of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, the Reverend Fr. Giorgio Marengo, I.M.C., currently regional counsellor for Asia, superior for Mongolia and parish priest of Mary Mother of Mercy in Arvaiheer, assigning him the titular see of Castra Severiana.

Reverend Fr. Giorgio Marengo, I.M.C.

The Reverend Fr. Giorgio Marengo, I.M.C., was born on 7 June 1974 in Cuneo, Italy. From 1993 to 1995 he studied philosophy at the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy and from 1995 to 1998, theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. From 2000 to 2006 he completed further studies at the Pontifical Urban University, Rome, where he was awarded a licentiate and a doctorate in missiology. He gave his religious vows on 24 June 2000 as a member of the I.M.C., and was ordained a priest on 26 May 2001.

Since priestly ordination he has carried out his pastoral ministry in Mongolia, in Arvaiheer (2003-2003); in 2003 he was assigned to the Mission in Mongolia (the first I.M.C. missionary in Mongolia). In 2016 he was appointed as regional counsellor for Asia, superior for Mongolia and parish priest of the parish of Mary Mother of Mercy in Arvaiheer.