Appointment of bishop of Kotor, Montenegro

The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of Kotor, Montenegro, the Reverend Ivan Štironja, unto now parish priest of Studenci and and rector of the diocesan shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Mostar-Duvno, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Ivan Štironja was born on 10 May 1960 in Pješivac, in the diocese of Trebinje-Mrkan. In 1975 he entered the minor seminary in Dubrovnik, where he carried out his secondary studies, until 1979. In 1980 he entered the major seminary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Vrhbosna, Sarajevo.

He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Trebinje-Mrkan on 29 June 1986.

After ordination he served as parish vicar in the parish of Dračevo (1986-1987). From 1988 to 1992 he served the diocese of Iringa, in Tanzania, exercising his ministry in the parish of Kaning’ombe. After a brief period in Mostar, he was sent to the Croatian parish of Oakville, diocese of Hamilton, Canada (1993-1996). He subsequently studied liturgy in Padua, at the Institute for Pastoral Liturgy (1996-1998), Upon returning to Mostar he was appointed as parish priest of the Cathedral, diocesan director for missions (1999-2011), and episcopal vicar for pastoral ministry (2002-2011). During the years 2011-2016 he held the office of national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies. From 2016 to the present he has served as parish priest of Studenci and rector of the diocesan shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He has taken part in many councils and commissions of the Episcopal Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and at diocesan level.