Resignation of auxiliary bishop of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Vancouver, Canada
Resignation and appointment of bishop of Itapetininga, Brazil
Appointment of bishop of Itabuna, Brazil
Appointment of auxiliary bishops of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Appointment of secretaries-general of the Governorate of Vatican City State
Resignation of auxiliary bishop of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, presented by Bishop Antônio Augusto Dias Duarte, titular of Tuscamia.
Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Vancouver, Canada
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Vancouver, Canada, presented by Archbishop J. Michael Miller, C.S.B.
The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Richard W. Smith, metropolitan of Edmonton, Canada, as metropolitan archbishop of Vancouver, Canada.
Curriculum vitae
Archbishop Richard W. Smith was born on 28 April 1959 in Halifax. He attended Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in communication. He was awarded a Master of Divinity at the Atlantic School of Theology, and a doctorate in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He was ordained a priest for the metropolitan archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth on 23 May 1987.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Immaculate Conception in Truro (1987-1991); chaplain of the Francophone community of Halifax (1990-1991); parish priest of Saint Peter in Sheet Harbour (1995-1997), parish priest of Bridgewater, Lunenburg and Elmwood (1997-1999); administrator of Saint John the Baptist in Halifax (1999-2001); and vicar general (2001-2002).
On 27 April 2002 he was appointed bishop of Pembroke, receiving episcopal consecration the following 18 June. On 22 March 2007 he was appointed metropolitan archbishop of Edmonton. He was president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2011 to 2013.
Resignation and appointment of bishop of Itapetininga, Brazil
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Itapetininga, Brazil, presented by Bishop Gorgônio Alves da Encarnação Neto, C.R.
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Luiz Antônio Lopes Ricci as bishop of the diocese of Itapetininga, transferring him from the see of Nova Friburgo.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Luiz Antônio Lopes Ricci was born on 16 May 1966 in Bauru, in the diocese of the same name, in the State of São Paulo. He studied philosophy at the Sagrado Coração de Jesus Provincial Seminary in Marília-SP and theology at the Instituto Teológico Rainha dos Apóstolos in Marília-SP.
He was awarded a doctorate in moral theology at the Alphonsian Academy, Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 10 July 1997 and incardinated in the diocese of Bauru.
He has held the following offices: vice rector and then rector of the seminary of the Ecclesiastical Province of Botucatu in Marília-SP; parish administrator of Senhor Bom Jesus do Mirante in Cabrália Paulista-SP and of Santa Maria in Piratininga-SP; parish priest of São Cristóvão in Bauru; spiritual assistant of the Encontro de Casais com Cristo Movement; diocesan pastoral coordinator; vicar general; member of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors; and professor and director of the Faculdade João Paulo II-FAJOPA in Marília-SP.
On 10 May 2017 he was appointed titular bishop of Tindari and auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Niterói, receiving episcopal ordination the following 16 July.
On 6 May 2020 he was appointed bishop of the diocese of Nova Friburgo, Brazil, and transferred from the titular see of Tindari and the office of auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Niterói.
Within the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil, he was been a member of the Episcopal Commission for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Appointment of bishop of Itabuna, Brazil
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Jailton de Oliveira Lino, P.S.D.P., as bishop of the diocese of Itabuna, Brazil, transferring him from the see of Teixeira de Freitas-Caravelas.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Jailton de Oliveira Lino, P.S.D.P., was born on 28 January 1965 in Feira de Santana, in the metropolitan archdiocese of the same name, in the State of Bahia. He carried out his studies in philosophy and theology at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre-RS.
He gave his religious vows on 1 January 1985 in the Congregation of Poor Servants of Divine Providence (Don Calabria), and was ordained a priest on 17 December 1988.
He has held the following offices: formator and superior of the Community of Farroupilha-RS; vice provincial and master of novices in Porto Alegre-RS; provincial delegate and then bursar of the Nossa Senhora Aparecida delegation in Porto Alegre-RS.
On 15 November 2017, he was appointed bishop of Teixeira de Freitas-Caravelas, receiving episcopal ordination the following 13 January. Since 30 October 2024 he has been apostolic administrator of the diocese of Itabuna.
Appointment of auxiliary bishops of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Holy Father has appointed the following as auxiliary bishops of the metropolitan archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: the Reverend Joselito Ramalho Nogueira, of the clergy of the diocese of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, until now vicar general and parish priest of Santo Antônio de Pádua in Rio Novo do Sul-ES, assigning him the titular see of Tinum; the Reverend Hiansen Vieira Franco, of the clergy of the diocese of Guaxupé, until now rector of the Santo Antônio Diocesan Seminary, assigning him the titular see of Tigava; and the Reverend José Maria Pereira, of the clergy of Petrópolis, until now vicar general and parish priest of São José in Petrópolis-RJ, assigning him the titular see of Sigus.
Curriculum vitae of Msgr. Joselito Ramalho Nogueira
Msgr. Joselito Ramalho Nogueira was born on 10 November 1964 in Mimoso do Sul, diocese of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, in the State of Espírito Santo. He studied philosophy at the Seminário Diocesano Bom Pastor in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim-ES and theology at the Instituto de Filosofia e Teologia da Arquidiocese de Vitória-ES. He was awarded a licentiate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Theological Faculty “Teresianum” of Rome, and in theology at the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University “Angelicum” of Rome, as well as a doctorate in dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 19 June 1993, and incardinated in the diocese of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim.
He has held the following offices: parish priest of São José in Mimoso do Sul-ES (1993), of Santíssima Trindade in Marataízes-ES (1993-1997), of Senhor Bom Jesus dos Passos (2001-2013) and of Nossa Senhora das Graças (2013-2022) in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim-ES; diocesan pastoral coordinator (2004-2012); professor of the Centro Universitário S. Camilo in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim-ES, of the Instituto de Filosofia e Teologia da Arquidiocese de Vitória-ES and of the Santo Estevão School for Deacons; member of the College of Consultors and the Presbyteral Council. To date he has served as vicar general and parish priest of Santo Antônio de Pádua in Rio Novo do Sul-RS.
Curriculum vitae of Msgr. Hiansen Vieira Franco
Msgr. Hiansen Vieira Franco was born on 21 May 1971 in Campestre, diocese of Guaxupé, in the State of Minas Gerais. He studied philosophy at the Universidade São Francisco in São Paulo-SP and theology at the Instituto Teológico Interdiocesano São José in Pouso Alegre-MG (2002). He was awarded a doctorate in Church history at the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 3 January 2004 and incardinated in the diocese of Guaxupé.
He has held the following offices: collaborator in the parishes of São Sebastião in Alpinópolis-MG, Senhor Bom Jesus in Bom Jesus da Penha-MG and Sagrada Família e Santo Antônio in Machado-MG; parish administrator of São Sebastião in Areado-MG (2004); rector of the theology seminary and parish vicar of Nossa Senhora do Carmo in Campestre-MG (2005-2007); parish priest of Nossa Senhora Aparecida (2015-2018) and São Domingos (2018-2023) in Poços de Caldas-MG; member of the Presbyteral Council; professor of Church history and patrology (2004-2008 and since 2015); and deputy diretor of the Faculdade Católica de Pouso Alegre-MG (since 2023). He currently serves as rector of the Santo Antônio Diocesan Seminary.
Curriculum vitae of Msgr. José Maria Pereira
Msgr. José Maria Pereira was born on 2 March 1958 in Senhora dos Remédios, in the metropolitan archdiocese of Mariana, in the State of Minas Gerais.
He studied philosophy in the Nossa Senhora do Amor Divino Diocesan Seminary in Petrópolis-RJ and theology at the Escola Teológica da Congregação Beneditina in Rio de Janeiro-RJ. He was awarded a licentiate in canon law from the Instituto Superior de Direito Canônico in Rio de Janeiro-RJ.
He was ordained a priest on 7 December 1986, and incardinated in the diocese of Petrópolis.
He has held the following offices: vice rector (1987-1990), spiritual director (1991-2004) and rector (2013-2016) of the Nossa Senhora do Amor Divino Diocesan Seminary; parish vicar of Santana da Inconfidência in Petrópolis-RJ (1987-1990); parish administrator of São José in Petrópolis-RJ (1992-1993); professor (1988-2010) and rector (2013-2016) of the Universidade Católica de Petrópolis-RJ; diocesan coordinator of youth and vocational pastoral care (1988-2010); director of the Santo Estevão School for Deacons (2007-2016); parish vicar of the Cathedral (2007-2009); and parish priest of São José in Itaipava-RJ (2010-2013); member of the College of Consultors and the Presbyteral Council (since 2013); moderator of the Curia; judge of the Ecclesiastical Tribunal; and diocesan administrator. He is currently vicar general and parish priest of São José in Petrópolis-RJ.
Appointment of secretaries-general of the Governorate of Vatican City State
The Holy Father, modifying the Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, of 13 May 2023, and Law no. CCLXXIV on the Governance of Vatican City State, of 25 November 2018, has appointed the following as secretaries-general of the Governorate of Vatican City State, with effect from 1 March 2025:
- Archbishop Emilio Nappa, until now adjunct secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization, in the Section for First Evangelization and the new particular Churches, and president of the Pontifical Mission Societies; and
- the Distinguished Mr. Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, Esq., until now deputy secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State.
At the same time, the Roman Pontiff has attributed to the Reverend Sr. Raffaella Petrini, F.S.E, from 1 March 2025 president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Governorate of the same State, the authority to determine and confer, as appropriate, specific competences or particular tasks to the aforementioned secretaries-general.
