Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archdiocese of Kraków, Poland
Appointment of bishop of San José del Guaviare, Colombia
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany
Appointment of auxiliary bishops of São Paulo, Brazil
Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archdiocese of Kraków, Poland
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Kraków, presented by Bishop Marek Jędraszewski.
The Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś as metropolitan archbishop of Kraków, transferring him from the metropolitan see of Łódź.
Curriculum vitae
His Eminence Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś was born on 9 February 1964 in Kraków. After attending the major seminary of Kraków, he received priestly ordination on 22 May 1988 for the archdiocese of Kraków.
After ordination, he first held the role of parish vicar of Saints Margaret and Catherine in Kęty (1988-1989). He was awarded a doctorate from the Pontifical Theological Academy in Kraków (1989-1994), and went on to serve as professor of Church history at the Pontifical Theological Academy, then at the Pontifical John Paul II University in Kraków (1994-2011), director of the Archive of the Cathedral Chapter of Wawel (2004-2007), rector of the major seminary (2007-2011), president of the Conference of Rectors of Major Seminaries in Poland (2010-2011).
He was appointed titular bishop of Arcavica and auxiliary of Kraków on 16 July 2011, receiving episcopal ordination the following 28 September. On 14 September 2017 he was transferred to the metropolitan see of Łódź. Within the Polish Episcopal Conference he is a member of the Permanent Council, the Council for Ecumenism, the Council for Culture and the Protection of Cultural Heritage, and the Council for the Family.
In the Consistory of 30 September 2023 he was created Cardinal with the title of Santi Cirillo e Metodio. He is a member of the Dicastery for Bishops (since 2000) and the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
Appointment of bishop of San José del Guaviare, Colombia
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Jesús Alberto Torres Ariza, of the clergy of the diocese of Valledupar, until now episcopal vicar for pastoral care, episcopal delegate for social pastoral care and parish priest of Santa María Madre y Reina de la paz of Valledupar.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Jesús Alberto Torres Ariza was born on 6 June 1975 in Urumita, diocese of Valledupar. He studied philosophy and theology at the Juan Pablo II Major Seminary of the diocese of Valledupar. He was awarded a licentiate in missiology from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 2 August 2003 for the diocese of Valledupar.
He has held the following offices: parish priest of Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Pueblo Bello and diocesan delegate for the pastoral care of indigenous peoples (2003-2005), parish priest of Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Valledupar, rector of El Carmelo College and diocesan delegate for the pastoral care of schools (2005-2009), parish priest of La Inmaculada Concepción in Valledupar (2012-2017), parish priest of La Natividad de María in Valledupar (2017-2023), teacher at the Juan Pablo II Major Seminary of Valledupar (since 2006), and to date, episcopal vicar for pastoral care and episcopal delegate for social pastoral care (since 2012) and parish priest of Santa María Madre y Reina de la paz in Valledupar (since 2023).
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Fr. Joshy George Pottackal, O.Carm., until now regional superior of the Carmelites and representative for the clergy of the diocese of Mainz, as auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Mainz, assigning him the titular see of Ceramussa.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Joshy George Pottackal, O.Carm., was born on 30 April 1977 in Meenkunnam, state of Kerala, India. After entering the Carmelite seminary of India, he was ordained a priest on 28 December 2003 in Thrissur.
He has held the following offices: chaplain (2005) and teacher of religion at the Martinus-Schule in Mainz, head of youth pastoral care for the deanery of Mainz (2005-2008), parish vicar of St. Alban, St. Jakobus and Hl. Kreuz in Mainz-Hechtsheim (2006-2008); parish priest of Hirschhorn and Neckarsteinach (2009); vice dean of Bergstrasse-Ost (2021); staff representative at the Episcopal Curia (2022).
Within the Carmelite Order, he has served to date as regional superior for members of the Province of Saint Thomas resident in Germany (since 2016) and prefect for formation in the Episcopal Seminary (since 2024).
Appointment of auxiliary bishops of São Paulo, Brazil
The Holy Father has appointed the following as auxiliary bishops of the metropolitan archdiocese of São Paulo, Brazil: the Reverend Celso Alexandre, of the clergy of the diocese of Ourinhos, until now parish priest of the Senhor Bom Jesus Cathedral, assigning him the titular see of Capsa; and the Reverend Márcio Antonio Vidal de Negreiros, O.S.A., until now secretary general of the Organization of the Augustinians of Latin America and the Caribbean (OALA), assigning him the titular see of Catula.
Curriculum vitae of Msgr. Celso Alexandre
Msgr. Celso Alexandre was born on 2 September 1969 in Chavantes, State of São Paulo. He studied philosophy at the Sagrado Coração de Jesus Provincial Seminary in Marília-SP and theology at the Instituto Teológico Pio XI in São Paulo-SP.
He was ordained a priest on 6 February 1999 for the diocese of Lins.
He has held the following offices: parish priest of Santa Luzia in Avanhandava-SP (1999-2002) and Santa Terezinha do Menino Jesus in Penápolis-SP (2002-2003), parish vicar of São Pio X in Ourinhos-SP (2003), parish priest of Nossa Senhora Aparecida in Chavantes-SP (2003-2014), of the Senhor Bom Jesus Cathedral (2014-2021) and of São Sebastião in Piraju-SP (2021-2022), diocesan pastoral coordinator (2015-2025), vicar forane, diocesan assessor for the liturgy, ecclesiastical assistant for Renewal in the Spirit, the Cursilhos de Cristandade Movement and the Equipes de Nossa Senhora, spiritual director of the major seminary, member of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors, and to date, parish priest of the Senhor Bom Jesus Cathedral in Ourinhos-SP.
Curriculum vitae of Msgr. Márcio Antonio Vidal de Negreiros, O.S.A.
Msgr. Márcio Antonio Vidal de Negreiros was born on 8 October 1967 in Dois Córregos, São Paulo. He studied philosophy at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte-MG and theology at the Pontifícia Faculdade de Teologia Nossa Senhora da Assunção in São Paulo-SP.
In 1991 he gave his religious vows in the Order of Saint Augustine and on 5 November 1994 he received priestly ordination.
He has held the following offices: vocational promoter (1992-2002) and 2008-2014), formator of the aspirantate and the preparatory year (1995-2002), of philosophy (2007-2010) and theology (2019-2021), parish vicar of Nossa Senhora Aparecida in Bragança Paulista-SP (1995-2002), parish priest of Cristo Redentor in Belo Horizonte-MG (2003-2006), master of novices in Brazil (2011-2014) and international novitiate in Lima, Peru (2015-2018), collaborator in the parishes of San Juan de la Cruz in Lima, Peru (2015-2018) and of São Pedro Apóstolo in São Bernardo do Campo-SP (2019-2021); prior and bursar of various communities, secretary and provincial counsellor, collaborator in various international services of the Order, and to date, secretary general of the Organization of the Augustinians of Latin America and the Caribbean (OALA) and parish vicar of Nossa Senhora Aparecida in Bragança Paulista-SP.
