Resignation and appointment of bishop of Włocławek, Poland

Resignation and appointment of vicar apostolic of Caroní, Venezuela

Erection of the diocese of Gracias, Honduras, and appointment of the first bishop

Resignation and appointment of bishop of Włocławek, Poland

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Włocławek, Poland, presented by Bishop Wiesław Alojzy Mering.

The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Włocławek, Poland, Bishop Krzysztof Jakub Wętkowski, transferring him from the titular see of Glavinitza and the office of auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Gniezno.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Krzysztof Jakub Wętkowski was born on 12 August 1963 in Gniezno. In 1982 he was admitted to the Primatial Seminary in Gniezno, and on 4 June 1988 he was ordained a priest for the same archdiocese.

From 1988 to 1989 he served as parish vicar of Saint Martin and Saint Nicholas in Bydgoszcz, and from 1989 to 1994 he studied at the John Paul II Catholic University in Lublin, completing his studies in 1995 with a doctorate in Canon Law. He then began teaching at the major seminary in Gniezno and at the Theological Faculty of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.

He was spokesman and director of the Office for Social Communications of the metropolitan archdiocese of Gniezno (1994-1995) and later (1995-2012) chancellor and moderator of the Curia, judge of the Metropolitan Court, master of ceremonies of the Cathedral, and member of the Presbyteral Council and of the College of Consultors.

On 24 November 2012 he was appointed titular bishop of Glavinitza and auxiliary of Gniezno, and received episcopal consecration on 22 December 2012.

As part of the Episcopal Conference, he is a member of the Legal Council and of the Ecclesiastical Commission for the Concordat.

Resignation and appointment of vicar apostolic of Caroní, Venezuela

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the apostolic vicariate of Caroní, Venezuela, presented by Bishop Felipe González González, O.F.M. Cap.

The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the same apostolic vicariate the Reverend Gonzalo Alfredo Ontiveros Vivas, of the clergy of San Cristóbal, until now military chaplain and deputy coordinator of the team responsible for the preparation of the Centenary of the Diocese.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Gonzalo Alfredo Ontiveros Vivas was born on 5 December 1968 in El Valle Capacho, in the diocese of San Cristóbal de Venezuela. After his primary studies, he entered the Minor Seminary to carry out his secondary studies. He completed his philosophical and theological formation in the major seminary of Santo Tomás de Aquino.

On 14 August 1993 he was ordained a priest and incardinated in the diocese of San Cristóbal de Venezuela.

Since priestly ordination he has held the following positions: parish vicar of San José Obrero (1993); parish priest of San José de la Fundación (1993 - 1994); military chaplain of Battery 2103 Anti-Aircraft Defence in Pregonero (1993 - 2004); military chaplain of Battalion 205 Ingenieros de Combate (1994 - 1997); military chaplain at the Jáuregui Military High School (2004 - 2007); military chaplain at DICOMAE - Army Construction and Maintenance Directorate (2007 - 2012); member of the formation team at the Santo Tomas de Aquino Diocesan Seminary and lecturer at IUESTA - Instituto Universitario Eclesiástico Santo Tomas de Aquino (2007 - 2008); rector of the Santo Tomas de Aquino diocesan Major Seminary and Secretary of IUESTA (2008 - 2012). Since 2009 he has been coordinator of the diocesan team for the permanent diaconate; since 2015 military chaplain at DICOAE; parish vicar of San Juan Bosco, in Táriba; member of the College of Consultors, as well as the Diocesan Commission for Moral Issues of the Clergy, and since 2021, deputy coordinator of the team responsible for the preparation for the Centenary of the Diocese.

Erection of the diocese of Gracias, Honduras, and appointment of the first bishop

The Holy Father has erected the diocese of Gracias, Honduras, with territory taken from the diocese of Santa Rosa de Copán, making it a suffragan of the same metropolitan Church of Tegucigalpa.

The Holy Father has appointed as first bishop of Gracias, Honduras, Bishop Walter Guillén Soto, S.D.B., until now titular bishop of Nasbinca and auxiliary of Tegucigalpa.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop Walter Guillén Soto S.D.B., was born on 6 December 1961 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. He holds a licentiate in theology from the Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala, a licentiate in pedagogy and educational sciences from the Universidad Don Bosco in San Salvador, and a doctorate in education and pedagogical sciences from the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

He gave his religious vows on 6 June 1986 and was ordained a priest on 5 November 1988.

He has held the following offices: academic director of the Salesian Instituto San Miguel in Tegucigalpa; director of the Archdiocesan Theological Institute in Tegucigalpa, director of the Instituto Técnico Ricaldone in San Salvador, director of the Don Bosco College in San José, Costa Rica; director of the Instituto Técnico Don Bosco de Panamá; director of the Instituto Técnologico Don Bosco AC de Saltillo, Mexico; special secretary to the metropolitan archbishop of Tegucigalpa, rector of the San Juan Bosco Shrine in Tegucigalpa and general chaplain of the Catholic University of Honduras. He was also president of the Catholic Federation of Panama and president of the Inter-American Confederation for Catholic Education (CIEC).

On 14 November 2020, he was appointed titular bishop of Nasbinca and auxiliary of Tegucigalpa.

1. The following are the statistical data of the diocese of Santa Rosa de Copán, after dismemberment:

1. The following are the statistical data of the diocese of Gracias, after dismemberment: