Appointment of adjunct secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization

Appointment of bishop of Blois, France

Appointment of adjunct secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Msgr. Samuele Sangalli, hitherto secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization in the Section for First Evangelization and the new particular Churches, as adjunct secretary with the role of head of the administration of the aforementioned Dicastery, in the same Section.

Appointment of bishop of Blois, France

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Francis Bestion as bishop of the diocese of Blois, France, transferring him from the diocese of Tulle.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop Francis Bestion was born on 8 May 1957 in Fontans, in the diocese of Mende. After obtaining a degree in philosophy from the Faculty of Philosophy in Montpellier and entering the Congregation of the Frères du Sacré-Cœur, he attended the Seminary of Avignon and the Institut Catholique of Toulouse, where he was awarded a licentiate in theology.

He was ordained a priest on 27 May 1990 for the diocese of Mende.

He has held the following offices: teacher and director of the Saint Joseph de Marvejols High School, vicar and then parish priest of Langogne (1990-2002), teacher of philosophy and formator in the seminary of Avignon (1992-2003), teacher in the seminary of Toulouse (2003-2005), director of the second cycle and teacher in the seminary of Toulouse (2005-2009), and vicar general of Mende (2009-2013).

He was appointed bishop of Tulle on 12 December 2013, and received episcopal consecration on 23 February of the following year.