Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Morocco
Resignation of bishop of Catarman, Philippines
Resignation and appointment of bishop of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Appointment of bishop of Ilorin, Nigeria
Appointment of auxiliary bishops of Philadelphia, U.S.A.
Appointment of coadjutor bishop of Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Morocco
The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Alfred Xuereb, titular of Amantea, until now apostolic nuncio in Korea and Mongolia, as apostolic nuncio in Morocco.
Resignation of bishop of Catarman, Philippines
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Catarman, Philippines, presented by Bishop Emmanuel C. Trance.
Resignation and appointment of bishop of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, presented by Bishop Franjo Komarica.
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Željko Majić, of the clergy of the diocese of Mostar-Duvno, as bishop of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Željko Majić was born on 28 March 1963, in Drinovci, Bosnia and Herzegovina. After his military service in Serbia (1981-1982), he studied philosophy and theology at the Major Seminary of Sarajevo. On 29 June 1988 he was ordained a priest for the diocese of Mostar-Duvno.
He has held the following offices: administrator of the House of the Clergy (1988-1989) and deputy parish priest of the Cathedral of Mostar (1989-1993). In 1993 he was sent to Rome, to the Pontifical Lateran University, where in 1995 he obtained a licentiate in pastoral theology.
Upon return to his diocese, he served again as deputy parish priest of the aforementioned Cathedral. In addition, he has held the roles of secretary to the bishop (1997-2000) and then parish priest of Blagaj-Buno. He subsequently served as vice rector of the Pontifical Croatian College in Rome (2006-2012). In 2012, he was appointed vicar general (until 2021). Since 2019 he has served as director of Caritas in the diocese of Mostar-Duvno.
Appointment of bishop of Ilorin, Nigeria
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Anselm Pendo Lawani, until now diocesan administrator of Ilorin, Nigeria, as bishop of the same ecclesiastical circumscription.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Anselm Pendo Lawani was born on 12 September 1970 in Igarra, in Edo State, Nigeria.
He was ordained a priest on 15 August 2000 for the clergy of the diocese of Ilorin. After attending Saints Peter and Paul Major Seminary in Bodija, Ibadan, he was awarded a Master of Divinity at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Chicago, Illinois (United States of America).
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Saint Joseph in Osi (2000-2001); deputy parish priest of Holy Angels in Chicago (2001-2005); parish administrator of Holy Angels in Chicago (2006); parish priest of Saint Bartholomew in Kaiama (2006); parish priest of Saint Anthony in Fate (2006-2010); director of vocations of the diocese of Ilorin (2008-2022); since 2008, member of the College of Consultors of the diocese of Ilorin; parish priest of Saint Anthony in Fate (2010-20129, parish priest of Saint Cyprian in Offa/Erin-Ile (2012-2017); dean of the deanery of Ilorin (2017-2023); from 2017 to the present, parish administrator of Saint Joseph’s Cathedral of Ilorin; since 2022, diocesan administrator of Ilorin.
Appointment of auxiliary bishops of Philadelphia, U.S.A.
The Holy Father has appointed the following as auxiliary bishops of the metropolitan archdiocese of Philadelphia, United States of America: the Reverend Keith J. Chylinski, of the clergy of the archdiocese of Philadelphia, until now rector of the Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, assigning him the titular see of Gunela; the Reverend Christopher R. Cooke, of the clergy of the archdiocese of Philadelphia, until now dean at the Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, assigning him the titular see of Malliana; and the Reverend Efren V. Esmilla, of. the clergy of the archdiocese of Philadelphia, until now parish priest of Saint Martin of Tours in Philadelphia and of Saint James in Elkin Park, assigning him the titular see of Ottana.
Curriculum vitae of Msgr. Keith J. Chylinski
Msgr. Keith J. Chylinski was born on 23 July 1971 in Schenactady, New York, in the diocese of Albany. He attended the Temple University in Philadelphia, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in music. He carried out his ecclesiastical studies at the Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Overbrook, obtaining a Master of Divinity and then a master’s degree in theology. He was subsequently awarded a master’s degree in clinical psychology at the Divine Mercy University in Sterling, Virginia.
He was ordained a priest for the archdiocese of Philadelphia on 19 May 2007.
He has held the following roles: parish vicar of Saint Anselm in Philadelphia (2007-2011) and of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer in North Wales( 2011-2012); member of the Faculty (2014-2022) and then rector (since 2022) of the Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.
Curriculum vitae of Msgr. Christopher R. Cooke
Msgr. Christopher R. Cooke was born on 8 November 1973 in Meadowbrook, in the archdiocese of Philadelphia. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware, he carried out his ecclesiastical studies at the Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, obtaining a Master of Divinity and a master’s degree in theology.
He was ordained a priest for the archdiocese of Philadelphia on 20 May 2006.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Saint Eleanor in Collegeville (2006-2008) and of Saint Martin of Tours in Philadelphia (2008-2012); administrator of Saint Francis of Assisi in Norristown (2012-2013); spiritual director (2013-2021) and dean (since 2021) of the Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.
Curriculum vitae of Msgr. Efren V. Esmilla
Msgr. Efren V. Esmilla was born on 18 June 1962 in Nagcarlan, Laguna, Philippines, in the diocese of San Pablo. After attending the San Beda College in Manila, he migrated to the United States. He carried out his theological studies at the Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, obtaining a Master of Divinity.
He was ordained a priest on 15 May 1993 for the archdiocese of Philadelphia.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of the parishes of Saint John Chrysostom in Wallingford (1993-2001) and of the Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Philadelphia (2001-2003); assistant director of pastoral formation at the seminary (2003-2004); director of the Spiritual Year at the seminary (2004-2005); chaplain at the Diocesan Filipino Apostolate (from 2005); parish vicar of Saint Martha in Philadelphia (2005-2006); parish priest of Our Lady of Hope in Philadelphia (2006-2020), of Saint Martin of Tours in Philadelphia (since 2020), and of Saint James in Elkin Park (since 2021).
Appointment of coadjutor bishop of Rarotonga, Cook Islands
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Fr. Reynaldo Bunyi Getalado, M.S.P., until now ecclesiastical superior of the Missio sui iuris of Funafuti in Tuvalu, as coadjutor bishop of Rarotonga, Cook Islands.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Reynaldo Bunyi Getalado, M.S.P., was born on 5 August 1959 in Muntinlupa, in the archdiocese of Manila, Philippines. He graduated in zoology at the Far Eastern University of Manila. On 24 September 1987 he joined the Missionary Society of the Philipppines (M.S.P.). He was subsequently awarded a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Divine Word Seminary of Tagaytay City in the Philippines.
He was ordained a priest on 4 August 1988.
He has held the following roles: missionary in the diocese of Daru-Kiunga, Papua New Guinea (1988-1999); pastoral service in the diocese of Auckland, New Zealand (2000-2003); parish vicar of Mandaluyong, Philippines (2003-2004); missionary in the diocese of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea (2005-2014); since 2014, ecclesiastical superior of the Missio sui iuris of Funafuti in Tuvalu.
