Appointment of apostolic nuncio in the Netherlands
Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Liberia
Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Perugia-Città della Pieve, Italy
Appointment of coadjutor archbishop of Granada, Spain
Appointment of bishop of Plasencia, Spain
Appointment of bishop of Málaga-Soatá, Colombia
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Montréal, Canada
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of San Cristóbal de La Habana, Cuba
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Pretoria, South Africa
Appointment of apostolic nuncio in the Netherlands
The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Paul Tschang In-Nam, titular of Amanzia, until now apostolic nuncio in Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar, and apostolic delegate in Laos, as apostolic nuncio in the Netherlands.
Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Liberia
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Msgr. Walter Erbì, nunciature counsellor, as apostolic nuncio in Liberia, at the same time elevating him to the titular see of Nepi, with the dignity of Archbishop.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Walter Erbì was born in Turin, Italy, on 8 January 1968. He was ordained a priest on 10 May 1992, and incardinate in the diocese of Iglesias.
He graduated in canon law.
He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 July 2001 and has served in the apostolic nunciature in the Philippines, in the General Affairs Section of the Secretariat of State and in the Pontifical Representations in Italy, the United States of America and Turkey.
He speaks Spanish, English and French.
Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Perugia-Città della Pieve, Italy
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Ivan Maffeis, of the clergy of the metropolitan archdiocese of Trento, until now parish priest in Rovereto, Trambileno, Vanza, Noriglio and Terragnolo, as metropolitan archbishop of Perugia-Città della Pieve, Italy.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Ivan Maffeis was born on 18 November 1963 in Pinzolo, in the province and archdiocese of Trento. He completed his high school and philosophical-theological studies at the Archdiocesan Seminary of Trento.
After priestly ordination, he first served as parish vicar in Mori (1988-1990). After obtaining a doctorate in Science of Social Communications at the Salesian Pontifical University (1990-1994), he went on to hold the offices of parish priest in Trento (1994-2000); lecturer in the Seminary (1994-2009); diocesan assistant for Catholic Action (2000-2002); director of the diocesan weekly Vita Trentina and diocesan radio (2001-2009); vice-director of the Social Communications Office of the Italian Episcopal Conference (2010-2015) and personnel manager (2012-2020); director of the Social Communications Office (2015-2019) and under-secretary of the Italian Episcopal Conference (2015-2020). Since 2017 he has also been a consultor in the Dicastery for Communication.
Since 2010 he has been a lecturer at the Faculty of Communication Sciences of the Salesian Pontifical University and at the Pontifical Lateran University.
To date he has been parish priest of the communities of Rovereto S. Marco and S. Famiglia, Trambileno, Vanza, Noriglio and Terragnolo.
Appointment of coadjutor archbishop of Granada, Spain
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop José María Gil Tamayo of Ávila as coadjutor archbishop of Granada, Spain.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop José María Gil Tamayo was born on 5 June 1957 in Zalamea de la Serena, Badajoz. He attended the seminary of Mérida-Badajoz and graduated from the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre, later obtaining a degree in information sciences. He was ordained a priest on 7 September 1980, and incardinated in the metropolitan archdiocese of Mérida-Badajoz.
In 1992, he was appointed director of the Media Delegation and Information Office of his diocese. From 1998 to 2011 he was director of the Secretariat of the Media Commission and from 2013 to 2018 he was secretary general of the Spanish Episcopal Conference.
He was appointed bishop of Ávila on 6 November 2018 and received episcopal consecration on the following 15 December.
Appointment of bishop of Plasencia, Spain
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Ernesto Jesús Brontóns Tena, of the clergy of the metropolitan archdiocese of Zaragoza, until now director of the Centro Regional de Estudios Teológicos de Aragón (CRETA), as bishop of Plasencia, Spain.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Ernesto Jesús Brontóns Tena was born on 20 February 1968 in Zaragoza, where he was ordained a priest on 20 October 1993. From 1997 to 2003 he studied dogmatic theology at the Pontifical University of Salamanca, obtaining a doctorate.
He has held the following offices: parish priest and parish vicar in Anento, Cerveruela, Fombuena, Langa del Castillo, Mainar, Torralbilla, Villarreal de Huerva Romanos y Lechón (1993-1997), parish priest of the Buen Pastor in Zaragoza (2003-2017), deputy director of the Centro Regional de Estudios Teológicos de Aragón, CRETA (2009-2011) and later director of the same. Since 2017, he has also been director of the Instituto Superior de Ciencias Religiosas Nuestra Señora del Pilar.
Appointment of bishop of Málaga-Soatá, Colombia
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Félix María Ramírez Barajas, of the clergy of Málaga-Soatá, Colombia, as bishop of the same diocese. He has served until now as vicar general and parish priest of the Inmaculada Concepción Cathedral of Málaga.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Félix María Ramírez Barajas was born on 7 December 1962 in Carcasí, diocese of Málaga - Soatá. He studied philosophy and theology at the major seminary of Bucaramanga. He obtained a licentiate in dogmatic theology at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome and a licentiate in philosophy and religious sciences at the Universidad Santo Tomás in Bucaramanga.
He was ordained a priest on 26 November 1988.
He has served as parish priest of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Chiquinquirá in El Cerrito, parish priest of Omate, diocese of Tacna e y Moquegua, Peru, parish priest of San Pedro Apóstol in Mologavita, parish vicar of Regina Pacis in Anguillara, diocese of Civita Castellana, Italy, parish priest of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios in San José de Miranda, formator of the major seminary of Bucaramanga, rector of the major seminary of Soatá, parish priest of San Bartolomé Apóstol in Capitanejo, diocesan administrator of Málaga - Soatá (2010-2011), episcopal vicar for pastoral care and parish priest of the Co-Cathedral of Soatá. Since 2014 he has been parish priest of the Inmaculada Concepción Cathedral and, from 2019 to date, vicar general of the diocese of Málaga-Soatá.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Montréal, Canada
The Holy Father has appointed Msgr. Frank Leo, of the clergy of the metropolitan archdiocese of Montréal, Canada, vicar general, as auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese, assigning him the titular see of Tamada.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Frank Leo was born on 30 June 1971 in Montréal, Canada. After secondary school, he obtained a diploma in social sciences. In 1990 he entered the seminary and attended courses in philosophy and theology at the Institut de Formation Théologique de Montréal (IFTM), obtaining a baccalaureate in philosophy (1992), a licentiate and then a doctorate in theology (2005), with a specialization in Marian studies, from the International Marian Research Institute (IMRI), University of Dayton, Ohio.
He was ordained a priest on 14 December 1996 for the metropolitan archdiocese of Montréal.
After priestly ordination, he served as deputy parish priest of Notre-Dame-de-la-Consolata (1996-2001); administrator of the Saint-Joseph-de-Rivière-des-Prairies Parish (2003-2005); chaplain of the Roscelli School and religious education teacher at the Collège Reine-Marie (2003-2005); and parish priest of Saint-Raymond-de-Peñafort (2005-2006).
From 2006 to 2008 he was posted to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome, where he attended courses in canon law and philosophy, obtaining a licentiate in historical-critical philosophy. He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See, working first at the apostolic nunciature in Australia (2008-2011) and then at the Holy See's Study Mission in Hong Kong (2011-2012).
Returning to Montréal in 2012, he was appointed director and lecturer in dogmatics at the major seminary, director of the Department of Canon Law at the IFTM and vice-president of the Diocesan Work for Vocations. From 2013 to 2015, he was a member of the Presbyteral Council. In 2013, he founded the Canadian Mariological Society, of which he is president.
From 2015 to 2021 he was secretary general of the Canadian Bishops' Conference. From 2021 until now he has been vicar general and moderator of the Archdiocesan Curia of Montréal.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of San Cristóbal de La Habana, Cuba
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Eloy Ricardo Domínguez Martínez as auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of San Cristóbal de La Habana, Cuba, assigning him the titular see of Nisa in Lycia. Msgr. Domínguez Martínez, of the clergy of the same archdiocese, has so far served as rector of the Shrine of San Lázaro in El Rincón.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Eloy Ricardo Domínguez Martínez was born on 4 January 1977 in Havana. Before entering the seminary, he obtained a licentiate in civil law. He studied philosophy and theology at the major seminary in Havana.
He was ordained a priest on 27 August 2011 for the metropolitan srchdiocese of San Cristóbal de La Habana.
He was parish priest of San Isidro Labrador in Managua, with the chapel of Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Guasimas, parish priest of Nuestra Señora de la Merced in Bauta, parish priest of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad in Caimito, with chapels in Playa Baracoa and Corralillo, member of the archdiocesan tribunal, parish priest of San José in San José de las Lajas, chargé of the Purísima Concepción parish in Tapaste, with the chapel of Jesús Nazareno, and archdiocesan assistant for catechesis. Since 2020 he has been rector of the Shrine of San Lázaro in El Rincón and in charge of the parish of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in Wajay.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Pretoria, South Africa
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Masilo John Selemela, of the clergy of Tzaneen, until now rector of the Saint John Vianney National Major Seminary, as auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Pretoria, South Africa, assigning him the titular see of Nachingwea.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Masilo John Selemela was born on 13 January 1972 in Magoebaskloof, diocese of Tzaneen. After the propaedeutic year at Saint Paul’s Minor Seminary (1991), he studied philosophy at Saint Peter’s Major Seminary in Hammanskraal (1992-1993) and theology at Saint John Vianney National Seminary in Pretoria (1994-1998).
He was ordained a priest on 12 June 1999.
Subsequently, he held the following positions: parish vicar of Our Lady of Peace in Makhado and diocesan vice-director of vocations and youth ministry (1999-2004); parish vicar of Dwars River parish and diocesan youth chaplain, diocesan director of vocational pastoral ministry, coordinator of the Education for Life programme, vice-president of the diocesan Finance Committee and chaplain of Saint Brendan’s School (2004-2006). After receiving a licentiate and doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Urbanian University, and a diploma in canonical administrative praxis from the Dicastery for the Clergy (2006-2011); he went on to serve as professor, formator and vice-rector at the Saint John Vianney National Major Seminary in Pretoria (2011-2019). From 2019 to date, he has been rector of the same major seminary.
