Appointment of apostolic nuncio in the European Union
Erection of the diocese of Caazapá, Paraguay, and appointment of first bishop
Appointment of apostolic nuncio in the European Union
The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Bernardito C. Auza, titular of Suacia, until now apostolic nuncio in Spain and Andorra, as apostolic nuncio in the European Union.
Erection of the diocese of Caazapá, Paraguay, and appointment of first bishop
The Holy Father has erected the new diocese of Caazapá, Paraguay, with territory taken from the diocese of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo, and has appointed the Reverend Fr. Marcelo Benítez Martínez, O.F.M., until now vicar for Paraguay of the Provincia de la Asunción de la Santísima Virgen del Río de la Plata, as first bishop.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Marcelo Benítez Martínez, O.F.M., was born on 6 September 1956 in Santa María, district of General Morínigo, Department of Caazapá.
He entered the Fray Luis Bolaño Franciscan Major Seminary of Lambaré and obtained a licentiate in theology from the Jesuit Humanistic and Philosophical Institute of the Universidad Católica Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.
He gave his vows in the Order of Friars Minor in 1993, and was ordained a priest in 1994.
As a religious of the Franciscan Order, he provided various services in the House of Formation of the Custodia Fray Luis Bolaño (1991-1996 and 2001-2003) and served as assistant of the Franciscan Secular Order (2015-2018). Since 2019 he has been vicar of the Provincia de la Asunción de la Santísima Virgen del Río de la Plata, including Argentina and Paraguay.
He has held the following offices: deputy parish priest and parish priest of Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Villarrica (1994-2000), deputy parish priest (2002-2003) and parish priest (2018-2019) of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in Villarrica, parish priest of San Francisco de Asís in Asunción (2020-2023) and, since 2023, cooperator vicar of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción in Villarrica.
Statistical data of the diocese of Caazapá
|
Diocse of Villarica del E.S E.S (present)
|
Diocese of Villarrica del E. E.S (after)
|
New Diocese of Caazapá
|
Area
|
13,342 Kmq
|
3,946 Kmq
|
9,496 Kmq
|
Inhabitants
|
419,922
|
225,410
|
194,512
|
Catholics
|
369,530
|
198,360
|
171,170
|
Other denominations
|
50,392
|
27,050
|
23,342
|
Parishes
|
40
|
25
|
15
|
Chapels
|
899
|
416
|
483
|
Diocesan priests
|
53
|
35
|
18
|
Religious priests
|
9
|
7
|
2
|
Permanent deacons
|
82
|
43
|
39
|
Major seminarians
|
22
|
12
|
10
|
Male religious communities
|
5
|
4
|
1
|
Female religious communities
|
14
|
12
|
2
|
Women religious
|
59
|
53
|
6
|
Catholic primary schools
|
14
|
10
|
4
|
Catholic secondary schools
|
16
|
12
|
4
|
Catholic universities
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
