Resignation of auxiliary bishop of Sucre, Bolivia

Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Juiz de Fora, Brazil

Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Sorocaba, Brazil

Erection of the diocese of Bariadi, Tanzania, and appointment of first bishop

Resignation of auxiliary bishop of Sucre, Bolivia

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Sucre, Bolivia, presented by Bishop Adolfo Eduardo José Bittschi Mayer, titular bishop of Nigizubi.

Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Juiz de Fora, Brazil

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Juiz de Fora, Brazil, presented by Archbishop Gil Antônio Moreira.

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Marco Aurélio Gubiotti as metropolitan archbishop of Juiz de Fora, Brazil, transferring him from the diocese of Itabira-Fabriciano.

Curriculum vitae

Archbishop-elect Marco Aurélio Gubiotti was born on 21 October 1963 in Ouro Fino, in the metropolitan archdiocese of Pouso Alegre, in the State of Minas Gerais. He studied philosophy at the Seminário Arquidiocesano Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora of Pouso Alegre-MG and theology at the Faculdade Dehoniana in Taubaté-SP. He obtained a licentiate in biblical theology from the Faculdade de Teologia Nossa Senhora da Assunção in São Paulo-SP-

He was ordained a priest on 14 January 1989, and incardinated in the metropolitan archdiocese of Pouso Alegre.

He has held the following offices: parish vicar of São Caetano in Brazópolis-MG; parish vicar and parish priest of Santo Antônio in Jacutinga-MG; parish priest of Nossa Senhora de Fátima in Santa Rita do Sapucaí-MG; parish priest of Nossa Senhora de Fátima in Pouso Alegre-MG; parish administrator of São Sebastião in São Sebastião da Bela Vista-MG; director and professor of the Instituto Teológico Interdiocesano São José in Pouso Alegre-MG; director general and professor of the Faculdade Católica de Pouso Alegre (FACAPA); formator of the theological community of the archdiocesan seminary; member of the Presbyteral Council.

On 21 February 2013 he was appointed bishop of Itabira-Fabriciano, and received episcopal ordination on the following 26 May.

Appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Sorocaba, Brazil

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop José Roberto Fortes Palau as metropolitan archbishop of Sorocaba, transferring him from the diocese of Limeira.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop José Roberto Fortes Palau was born on 9 April 1965 in Jacareí, diocese of São José dos Campos, in the State of São Paulo.

After studying philosopy at the Instituto de Teologia e Filosofia Santa Teresinha in São José dos Campos-SP and theology at the Faculdade Dehoniana in Taubaté-SP, he was awarded a licentiate in spiritual theology at the Pontifical Theological Faculty “Teresianum” in Rome, and a doctorate in theology at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro.

He was ordained a priest on 6 February 1993, and incardinated in the diocese of São José dos Campos.

He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Sant’Ana e di São Bento in São José dos Campos-SP; parish priest of São José in São José dos Campos-SP; Presbyteral Pastoral Coordinator; rector of the Theology Seminary; director of the Diaconal School; director and professor of the Faculdade Católica de São José dos Campos; member of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors; vicar general; professor of spiritual theology at the Faculdade Dehoniana in Taubaté-SP.

On 30 April 2014 he was appointed titular bishop of Acufida and auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of São Paulo, and received episcopal ordination the following 21 June. On 20 November 2019 he was appointed bishop of Limeira.

Erection of the diocese of Bariadi, Tanzania, and appointment of first bishop

The Holy Father has erected the diocese of Bariadi, Tanzania, with territory taken from the diocese of Shinyanga, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan archdiocese of Mwanza.

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Prosper Baltazar Lyimo, until now auxiliary of Arusha, as first bishop of the newly erected diocese.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop Prosper Baltazar Lyimo was born in the village of Kyou, in the municipality of Kilema, district of Moshi, in the Kilimanjaro Region, diocese of Moshi, on 20 August 1964. After his primary studies in Ngurdoto, Arusha, and his higher studies in the minor seminary of Arusha, Saint Thomas Aquinas, he carried out his studies in philosophy at Our Lady of Angels Seminary in Kibosho, Moshi, and in theology at Saint Paul in Kipalapala, Tabora.

He was ordained a priest for the metropolitan archdiocese of Arusha on 4 July 1997.

After ordination, he first held the roles of formator in the minor seminary of Arusha Saint Thomas Aquinas in Oldonyosambu (1997-1999) and chancellor of the archdiocese (2000-2004, 2007-2008). He was awarded a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University in Rome (2007), and a doctorate in canon law from Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Canada (2011). He went on to serve as chancellor and judicial vicar of the archdiocese (2011-2014). On 11 November 2014 he was appointed titular bishop of Vanariona and auxiliary of Arusha, Tanzania, receiving episcopal consecration on the following 15 February.

Statistical data

The newly erected diocese of Bariadi [Latin name Bariadensis] was taken from the diocese of Shinyanga, and is a suffragan of the metropolitan archdiocese of Mwanza. The see of the diocese is in the city of Bariadi. The Cathedral of the new ecclesiastical circumscription will temporarily be the parish church of Saint John the Evangelist in Bariadi; in the future it will be the church dedicated to Saint Luke, currently under construction.