Resignation of auxiliary bishop of Hamburg, Germany
Appointment of coadjutor archbishop of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar
Appointment of bishop of Cochin, India
Appointment of auxiliary of Bombay, India
Appointment of bishop of Propriá, Brazil
Resignation of auxiliary bishop of Hamburg, Germany
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Hamburg, Germany, presented by Bishop Horst Eberlein.
Appointment of coadjutor archbishop of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Jean Nicolas Rakotojaona, until now auxiliary of Morondava, as coadjutor archbishop of Fianarantsoa, Madagascar, at the same time liberating him of the titular see of Dragonara.
Curriculum vitae
Archbishop-elect Jean Nicolas Rakotojaona was born on 18 January 1973 in Anosy Avaratra.
He was ordained a priest on 3 August 2002 for the archdiocese of Antananarivo.
After ordination, he held the role of parish vicar in the district of Ihazolava (2002-2004). He studied for a master’s degree in philosophy of religion at the Université Catholique de Madagascar, and went on to serve as vicar in Andohatapenaka and Ampefiloha (2004-2006), rector of the Victoire Rasoamanarivo Preparatory Seminary, professor of social doctrine of the Church at the Higher Institute of Technology in Antananarivo and of philosophy in the minor seminary (2006-2009), and parish priest of Ambanidia (2009-2011). He was awarded a doctorate in theology from the Université de Fribourg, Switzerland (2011-2017) and subsequently held the roles of vicar rector (2017-2018) and rector (2018-2023) of the Saint Paul Apôtre Major Seminary of Philosophy.
He was elelcted titular bishop of Dragonara and auxiliary of Morondava on 19 May 2023, and received episcopal ordination on 2 July of the same year.
He is currently co-president of the Episcopal Commission for the Lay Apostolate (CEPAL).
Appointment of bishop of Cochin, India
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Antony Kattiparambil of the diocese of Cochin, India, until now judicial vicar, episcopal vicar for religious and parish priest of Saint Joseph Church, as bishop of the same diocese.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Antony Kattiparambil was born on 14 October 1970 in Mundamveli, in the diocese of Cochin, India. He studied philosophy at Saint Joseph’s Pontifical Seminary in Alwaye and obtained a licentiate in biblical theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 15 August 1998 for the diocese of Cochin.
Following ordination, he was awarded a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome, and held the following offices: deputy parish priest of Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica in Fort Cochin (1998-2002), deputy parish priest of Saint Sebastian in Thoppumpady (2002-2003), pastoral assistant in the parish of San Francesco in Prato, Italy (2003-2005), parish administrator of Saint Joseph’s in Kumbalanghi (2005-2010), pastoral assistant in the parish of Santi Sisinio, Martirio e Alessandro in Brivio, Milan, Italy (2010-2013), pastoral assistant in the parish of San Pio V in Rome (2013-2016) and parish priest of Saint Martin in Kallanchery (2016-2021).
Until now, he has served as judicial vicar of the diocese of Cochin (since 2016), parish priest of Saint Joseph in Kumbalam (since 2023) and episcopal vicar for religious (since 2024).
Appointment of auxiliary of Bombay, India
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Stephen Eustace Victor Fernandes, until now local collaborator with the apostolic nunciature in India, New Delhi, as auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Bombay, India, assigning him the titular see of Abbir Maius.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Stephen Eustace Victor Fernandes was born on 20 September 1961 in Mumbai, India. He was awarded a Bachelor of Commerce, a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Commerce at the University of Bombay. He studied philosophy and theology at Saint Pius X College in Goregaon and obtained a doctorate in moral theology from the Pontifical Alphonsian Academy in Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 31 March 1990 for the metropolitan archdiocese of Bombay.
He has held the following offices: deputy parish priest of Saint John the Evangelist, Marol (1990-1992), deanery coordinator for catechesis and youth (1990-1992), lecturer in sacred scripture and moral theology at Saint Pius X College, Goregaon (1992-1994), professor of ethics, moral theology and patrology at Saint Pius X College, Goregaon (since 2000), executive director of the F.I.A.M.C. Bio-Medical Ethics Centre, Mumbai (since 2008), secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) Commission for Doctrine and Theology (since 2013), national advisor to the Catholic Nurses Guild of India (2010-2018), and secretary of the CBCI Commission for Justice and Peace (2015-2018).
In 2017 he was appointed theologan of the Catholic-Baptist Dialogue by the Pontifical Commission for Promoting Christian Unity and, since 2018, has been a local collaborator with the apostolic nunciature in India, in New Delhi.
Appointment of bishop of Propriá, Brazil
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend George Luís Amaral Muniz, of the clergy of the diocese of Viana, until now vicar general and diocesan bursar, as bishop of Propriá, Brazil.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. George Luís Amaral Muniz was born on 14 December 1972 in Matinha, diocese of Viana, in the State of Maranhão. He carried out his studies in philosophy ata the Centro Teológico do Maranhão-CETEMA in São Luís-MA, and in theology at the Escola Superior de Teologia e Espiritualidade Franciscana in Porto Alegre-RS and in psychology at the Centro Universitário do Maranhão-UNICEUMA. He obtained a licentiate in patristic theology and history of theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.
He received priestly ordination on 22 December 2001, and was incardinated in the diocese of Viana.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Santa Rita de Cássia e São Francisco de Assis in Buriticupu-MA (2002), parish priest of Transfiguração in Bom Jesus das Selvas-MA (2002-2005), parish priest of the Cathedral of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (2013-2019) and of São José in Penalva-MA (2019-2022); vocational promoter (2002-2005), rector of the São Bonifácio Seminary in São Luís-MA (2005-2007); diocesan assistant for Catholic Charismatic Renewal (2002-2007), member of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors, lecturer in patristics at the Instituto de Estudos Superiores do Maranhão-IESMA; and coordinator of the clergy (2020-2024). Until now he has served as vicar general and diocesan bursar.
