Resignation and appointment of Military Ordinary for Slovakia
Appointment of bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela, Venezuela
Appointment of president of the Pontifical Academy for Life
Resignation and appointment of Military Ordinary for Slovakia
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the Military Ordinariate for Slovakia, presented by Bishop František Rábek.
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Pavol Šaigalik, O.F.M. Cap., chaplain of the Catholic community in Switzerland, as bishop military ordinary for Slovakia.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Pavol Šaigalik, O.F.M. Cap., was born in Bratislava on 13 November 1964. He was awarded a diploma as a technical engineer in Bratislava and, during the Communist regime, clandestinely joined the Friars Minor Capuchin. He attended the Faculty of Theology of the Universität Wien.
He gave his perpetual vows in 1993 and was ordained a priest on 15 August 1993.
After ordination, he first served in various offices in the Slovak Province of the Friars Minor Capuchin, including provincial counseller, secretary and bursar, guardian of the Convent and rector of the Capuchin Church in the centre of Bratislava, and vice provincial (1993-2005); military chaplain in the Regional Diretorate of the Bratislava Police (2004); and member of the Presbyteral Council of the Military Ordinariate (2006-2019). He was awarded a doctorate in pastoral theology from the Universität Wien (2014) and went on to serve as chaplain of Saint Michael’s Hospital in Bratislava (2010-2019).
In the Military Ordinariate he has held the offices of deputy vicar, dean of the Bratislava Police and member of the preparatory team of the Synod of the Military Ordinariate. Since 2019 he has been the spiritual assistant to the Slovak Catholic Mission in Switzerland, resident in Zurich.
Appointment of bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela, Venezuela
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Alexander Rivera Vielma, of the clergy of the metropolitan archdiocese of Mérida, until now vicar general and parish priest of San Miguel Arcángel del Llano, as bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela, Venezuela.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Rivera Vielma was born in Mérida on 6 March 1974. He studied in the major seminary of Aérida, and was awarded a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 19 September 1998, and incardinated in the metropolitan archdiocese of Mérida.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar, parish priest of various parishes, and rector of the major seminary of Mérida. He is currently vicar general, parish priest of San Miguel Arcángel del Llano, judge of the archdiocesan Ecclesiastical Tribunal and member of the Presbyteral Council, the College of Consultors, the Council for Economic Affairs and the Metropolitan Chapter.
Appointment of president of the Pontifical Academy for Life
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Msgr. Renzo Pegoraro, until now chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Life, as president of the same Academy.
Curriculum vitae
The Reverend Msgr. Renzo Pegoraro was born on 4 June 1959. He received priestly ordination on 11 June 1989 and was incardinated in the diocese of Padua. He graduated in medicine and surgery on 12 November 1985, from the University of Padua. He obtained a licentiate in moral theology in 1990 from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and an advanced diploma in bioethics from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. He has served as secretary general of the Lanza Foundation of Padua and as lecturer in bioethics at the Theological Faculty of Triveneto. Since 2000 he has held the role of professor of nursing ethics at the “Bambino Gesù” Paediatric Hospital of Rome. From 2010 to 2013 he was president of EACME (European Association of Centers of Medical Ethics). Since 1 September 2011 he has served as chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Life. He has published numerous books, articles and essays.
