Appointment of member of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches
Appointment of apostolic nuncio to the European Union
Appointment of bishop of Ragusa, Italy
Appointment of bishop of Dedza, Malawi
Appointment of president of the Vatican City State Court of Appeal
Appointment of member of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches
The Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Robert Sarah as member of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches.
Appointment of apostolic nuncio to the European Union
The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Aldo Giordano, titular of Tamada and until now apostolic nuncio in Venezuela, as apostolic nuncio to the European Union.
Appointment of bishop of Ragusa, Italy
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of Ragusa, Italy, the Reverend Msgr. Giuseppe La Placa, until now vicar general of the diocese of Caltanisetta.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Giuseppe La Plata was born on 16 November 1962 in Resuttano, diocese of Caltanisetta. After completing his formation, on 29 June 1986 he was ordained a priest for the same diocese. In 1993 he was awarded a licentiate in theoretical philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian University, continuing doctoral courses.
As a priest he has held the following offices: parish vicar of San Pietro in Caltanisetta (1986-1989); parish vicar of the Mother Church and of the Santissimo Rosario of San Cataldo (1989-1991); parish vicar of San Biagio in Caltanisetta (1993-2002); from 1993, teacher of philosophy at the P. Mignosi Classical Lyceum and at the Msgr. G. Guttadauro Theological-Pastoral Institute in Caltanisetta; diocesan assistant for family pastoral care and diocesan director of youth pastoral care (1993-1998); director of the Sant’Agostino Higher Institute of Religious Sciences (1995-2001); chaplain of the Claretian Sisters (1998-2002); prefect of the Msgr. G. Guttadauro Theological-Pastoral Institute, member of the Faculty Council of the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Sicily (2000-2006); and parish priest of Santo Spirito in Caltanisetta (2002-2006).
In addition, he has served as spiritual assistant to the Notre Dame group of families (since 2002); manager of the John Paul II Catholic School of Caltanisetta (since 2003); pro-vicar general of Caltanisetta (2006-2009); canon of the Cathedral of Caltanisetta, diocesan head of permanent formation of the clergy, director of the diocesan Office for Social Communications, diocesan assistant for AGESCI, editor of the diocesan periodical L’Aurora and of the Monitore Diocesano (since 2006); diocesan delegate for FIES (since 2008) and vicar general (2009 to the present).
He is a member of the College of Consultors, the Presbyteral Council, the diocesan Pastoral Council, the Regional Commission for the Permanent Formation of the Clergy, the Sicilian Presbyteral Commision, chaplain of the Franciscan Sisters of Iuculia and director of the Caltanisetta Clergy House.
He is a member of the Community of the Sons of God, a public association founded by Don Divo Barsotti.
Appointment of bishop of Dedza, Malawi
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Dedza, Malawi, the Reverend Peter Chifukwa, of the clergy of Dedza, until now judicial vicar and rector of the Saint Kizito Minor Seminary.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Peter Chifukwa was born on 27 August 1974 in Salima, in the metropolitan archdiocese of Lilongwe. After attending the minor seminary, he completed his studies in philosophy at the Saint Anthony Major Seminary in Kachebere and in theology at the Saint Peter’s Major Seminary in Zomba. From 2007 to 2010 he studied for a master’s degree at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenya.
He was ordained a priest on 12 June 2004 for the diocese of Dedza.
He subsequently held the following offices: administrator of the Kanyama Health Unit (2004-2005); parish priest in Ganya and vocational promotor (2004-2007); and secretary to the bishop (2010-2011). From 2010 to the present he has served as judicial vicar and, from 2011, rector of the Saint Kizito Minor Seminary in Dedza.
Appointment of president of the Vatican City State Court of Appeal
The Holy Father has appointed His Excellency Msgr. Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, dean of the tribunal of the Roman Rota, as president of the Vatican City State Court of Appeal.
