Resignation of archbishop of Bamberg, Germany
Appointment of bishop of Umuahia, Nigeria
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Thành-Phô-Hô Chí Minh, Hochiminh Ville, Viêt Nam
Resignation of archbishop of Bamberg, Germany
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Bamberg, Germany, presented by Archbishop Ludwig Schick.
Appointment of bishop of Umuahia, Nigeria
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Michael Kalu Ukpong, until now titular of Igilgili and auxiliary of the diocese of Umuahia, Nigeria, as bishop of the same diocese.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Michael Kalu Ukpong was born on 15 December 1964 in Amaekpu Ohafia, in the diocese of Umuahia. He attended the Seat of Wisdom Major Seminary in Owerri and Saint Joseph Major Seminary in Ikot Ekpene.
He was ordained a priest on 7 August 1993 for the clergy of the diocese of Umuahia.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Saint Finbarr’s in Umuahia (1993-1994); secretary to the bishop of Umuahia (1994-1996); parish priest of Saint John’s in Item (1996-1999); editor of the Lumen Newspaper of the diocese of Umuahia (1999-2001); chaplain at the Christ the King Chaplaincy in Umudike (2001-2003).
He studied canon law at the Klaus-Mõrsdorf-Institut für Kanonistik of the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität in Munich (2004-2007) and was subsequently awarded a doctorate in theology at the Universität von Regensburg (2008-2014).
He went on to serve as parish vicar at Saint Joseph’s in Reinhausen (2008-2011), of the Assumption in Ascholtshausen (2011-2013) and the Berathausen-Pfraundorf (2013-2016) parish unit of the diocese of Regensburg, Germany; head of Coronata Secondary School in Asaga Ohafia (2016-2018); chancellor of the diocese of Umuahia and parish priest of Saint Theresa’s in Umuahia (2018-2020).
He was elected auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Umuahia and assigned the titular see of Igilgili on 30 May 2020, and received episcopal ordination the following 30 July. In 2022 he was elected as diocesan administrator of the diocese of Umuahia.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Thành-Phô-Hô Chí Minh, Ho Chi Minh Ville, Viêt Nam
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Joseph Bui Cong Trac, of the clergy of Ho Chi Minh Ville, until not rector of the Hô Chí Minh Ville Major Seminary, assigning him the titular see of Arsennaria.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Joseph Bui Cong Trac was born on 25 May 1965 in Saigon. He attended the Hô Chí Minh Ville Major Seminary and was ordained a priest on 30 June 1999 for the same archdiocese.
From 1999 to 2033 he served as parish vicar of Thu Thiem, in the archdiocese of Hô Chí Minh Ville.
In 2010 he was awarded a doctorate in the social doctrine of the Church from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He subsequently held the offices of vice-rector of the Pontifical Saint Paul College in Rome (2010-2016) and, since 2016, rector of the Hô Chí Minh Ville Major Seminary.
