Appointment of special envoy on the occasion of the centenary of the coronation of the Patroness of the archdiocese of Toledo, Nuestra Señora del Sagrario
Appointment of bishop of Verdun, France
Appointment of bishop of Sandhurst, Australia
Appointment of bishop of Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe
Appointment of coadjutor bishop of Quy Nhon, Vietnam
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Thành-Phô Hô Chí Minh, Vietnam
Appointment of special envoy on the occasion of the centenary of the coronation of the
The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, dean of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, as his special envoy to the solemn procession, scheduled to take place on 30 May 2026, on the occasion of the centenary of the Patroness of the archdiocese of Toledo, Nuestra Señora del Sagrario.
Appointment of bishop of Verdun, France
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Joseph de Metz-Noblat as bishop of Verdun, France, transferring him from the diocese of Langres.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Joseph de Metz-Noblat was born on 6 February 1959 in Cherbourg, in the diocese of Coutances. He attended a course in civil law and carried out his studies in philosophy and theology at the major seminary of Metz, obtaining a licentiate in canon law from the Institut Catholique de Paris.
He received priestly ordination on 28 May 1987, and was incardinated into the diocese of Verdun.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Saint-Michel and then Commercy, parish priest of Triaucourt et Rembercourt in Verdun, chaplain of the Mouvement Eucharistique des Jeunes, head of the diocesan vocations and youth pastoral care service, superior of the Saint Jean-Baptiste de Nancy Interdiocesan Preparatory Seminary, defender of the bond and then adjunct judicial vicar of the Interdiocesan Tribunal, national director of the Apostolic Union of the Clergy and vicar general of Verdun.
On 21 January 2014 he was appointed bishop of Langres, receiving episcopal ordination the following 16 March.
Appointment of bishop of Sandhurst, Australia
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Rene Ramirez, R.C.J., until now titular bishop of Mauriana and auxiliary of Melbourne, as bishop of the diocese of Sandhurst, Australia.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Rene Ramirez, R.C.J., was born on 29 March 1969 in Gapan, Philippines. After joining the Religious Institute of the Rogationist Fathers, he carried out his studies in philosophy at Adamson University in Manila, obtaining a bachelor’s degree. He was then awarded a master’s degree in Educational Management from De la Salle University in Manila, and a licentiate in spirituality from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 27 June 1998.
He was appointed titular bishop of Mauriana and auxiliary of the archdiocese of Melbourne on 8 November 2024, and received episcopal consecration on the following 1 February.
Appointment of bishop of Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Patrick Ngwenya, of the clergy of Harare, until now parish priest of Saint Francis Xavier in Harare and coordinator of the family apostolate of the archdiocese of Harare.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Patrick Ngwenya was born on 1 February 1967 in Mutare, in the diocese of the same name. He was awarded a diploma in formation sciences from the University of Zimbabwe and in marketing from the Business Career Development College (LCCI – London Chamber of Commerce and Industry). After working as a teacher, he entered the Sacred Heart Regional Preparatory Seminary in Mazowe, in the archdiocese of Harare. He studied philosophy in the Saint Augustine philosophy seminary in the diocese of Bulawayo, and completed his studies in theology at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas “Angelicum” in Rome.
He was ordained a priest on 25 August 2007, and incardinated into the archdiocese of Harare.
After ordination, he held the roles of parish vicar of Saint Francis of Assisi in Chegutu, Harare (2007-2008), parish priest and superior of the All Souls Mission in Mutoko, Harare (2008-2012), vicar forane – East Deanery (2010-2012), member of the College of Consultors (2010-2022), and parish vicar of Saint Matia Kalemba in Norton, Harare (2012-2013). He obtained a diploma in Executive Secretarial from the LCCI (2013-2014), and a diploma in Executive Secretarial from Speciss College in Harare (2013-2014), and went on to serve as vicar and pastoral assistant at the parish of Saint Peter Canisius in Marlborough (2013-2014), secretary to the archbishop of Harare (2013-2022), and chair of the Ruvarashe Trust, a Catholic centre for disabled people in the Mission in Makumbi (2013-2022). He studied for a licentiate in marriage and family life at the Pontifical “John Paul II” Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences in Kerala, India (2022-2024), and to date has served as director of the marriages office of the archdiocese of Harare (since 2008), assistant secretary to the archbishop of Harare (since 2012), coordinator of the family apostolate of the archdiocese of Harare (since 2024), and parish priest of the Saint Francis Xavier parish, Braeside, Harare (since 2025).
Appointment of coadjutor bishop of Quy Nhon, Vietnam
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend John Baptist Nguyen Quoc Hung, of the clergy of the diocese of Ban Me Thuot, until now rector of the Saint Paul Le Bao Tinh Seminary in Ban Me Thuot and administrator of the parish of Kim Thanh, as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Quy Nhon, Vietnam.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. John Baptist Nguyen Quoc Hung was born on 12 January 1969. He studied philosophy and theology at the Stella Maris Major Seminary in Nha Trang.
He was ordained a priest on 17 July 2007 for the clergy of the diocese of Ban Me Thuot.
After ordination, he first held the role of parish vicar of Bac Ai (2007-2008). After obtaining a master’s degree in theology from the Institut Catholique de Toulouse in Toulouse, France (2008-2013), he served as an tutor for seminarians at Le Bao Tinh Seminary in the diocese of Ban Me Thuot (2013-2015). He was awarded a doctorate in biblical theology at the Institut Catholique de Toulouse in Toulouse, France (2016-2022) and currently serves as administrator of the parish of Kim Thanh, lecturer in sacred scripture at the Stella Maris Major Seminary and member of the Biblical Commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Vietnam (since 2022) and rector of Saint Paul Le Bao Tinh Seminary in Ban Me Thuot (since 2024).
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Thành-Phô Hô Chí Minh, Vietnam
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend John Baptist Nguyen Quang Tuyen, of the clergy of the archdiocese of Thành-Phô Hô Chí Minh, Vietnam, until now parish priest of Nam Thai and director of the diocesan Commission for the family, as auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese, assigning him the titular see of Perdices.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. John Baptist Nguyen Quang Tuyen was born on 26 May 1969. He studied philosophy and theology at Saint John’s Major Seminary in Thành-Phô Hô Chí Minh.
He was ordained a priest on 28 June 2003, and was incardinated into the same archdiocese of Thành-Phô Hô Chí Minh.
After ordination, he first served as parish vicar of Tan Chi Linh (2003-2005) and of Fatima Binh Trieu (2005-2007), and participated in the Pastoral Renewal Program at the Pastoral Institute of East Asia in the Philippines (2008-2009). He served at the Pastoral Centre of the archdiocese of Thành-Phô Hô Chí Minh (2009-2010), and studied pastoral theology and pastoral service in the parish of Notre Dame in Maryland, United States of America (2011-2017). He has served as spiritual director of the Emmanuel Community (2017), parish priest of Nam Thai (2018 to date), spiritual director of the Cursillo Movement (since 2019) and director of the diocesan Commission for the Family (since 2022).
