Appointment of coadjutor bishop of Fajardo-Humacao, Puerto Rico
Appointment of bishop of Rubiataba-Mozarlândia, Brazil
Appointment of bishop of Porto Nacional, Brazil
Consecration of archbishop of Chongqing, China
Appointment of coadjutor bishop of Fajardo-Humacao, Puerto Rico
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Gerardo Antonio Vargas Cruz, O.F.M., until now episcopal vicar for the clergy of the archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico, as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Fajardo-Humacao, Puerto Rico.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Gerardo Antonio Vargas Cruz, O.F.M., was born on 2 December 1976 in Mayagüez. He joined the Order of Friars Minor in the Franciscan Custody of the Caribbean, carrying out his novitiate in the Dominican Republic. He continued his formation in Puerto Rico at the Universidad Central de Bayamón, graduating in social service and obtaining a Master of Divinity.
He gave his solemn profession in 2004, and was ordained a priest on 12 August 2006.
He has held the following offices: master of novices; national assistant of the Secular Order in Puerto Rico; deputy Custos and Custos of the Franciscans in the Caribbean; professor at the Universidad Central de Bayamón; director of radio programming; chaplain of Bayamón Prison; vicar for the clergy in the archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico, and collaborator with the Conference of Religious of Puerto Rico.
Appointment of bishop of Rubiataba-Mozarlândia, Brazil
The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Júlio César Gomes Moreira as bishop of the diocese of Rubiataba-Mozarlândia, Brazil, transferring him from the titular see of Thisiduo and from the office of auxiliary of Belo Horizonte.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Júlio César Gomes Moreira was born on 18 April 1972 in Fortaleza, in the archdiocese of the same name, in the State of Ceará. After carrying out his studies in philosophy and theology at the Nossa Senhora de Fátima in Brasilia, he graduated in psychology, specializing existential analysis and logotherapy.
He was ordained a priest on 6 December 2003 and incardinated into the archdiocese of Brasília.
He has held the following offices: parish priest of São José in Brazlândia – Federal District (2004–2005); formator at Nossa Senhora de Fátima Major Seminary (2006–2007); rector of the São José Preparatory Seminary (2008–2010); rector of the São João Maria Vianney Interdiocesan Seminary and the Santa Cruz Preparatory Seminary (2011–2015); parish vicar at Menino Jesus (2011–2012) and at Santo Hilário (2012–2014) and parish priest at São Leopoldo Mandic; assistant at the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament (2016); episcopal vicar of the Central Vicariate; coordinator of archdiocesan priestly ministry; member of the College of Consultors and parish priest of Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Fátima in Sobradinho-DF (2017–2020). Furthermore, he was a member of the National Co-ordinating Committee of the Organization of Seminaries and Institutes of Brazil (O.S.I.B.) and also of the Centro-Oeste Regional Committee.
On 23 December 2020, he was appointed titular bishop of Thisiduo and auxiliary of Belo Horizonte, and received episcopal consecration on 13 February 2021.
Appointment of bishop of Porto Nacional, Brazil
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend José Paulino Francisco Neto, of the clergy of the diocese of Araçuaí, Brazil, until now parish administrator of Nossa Senhora da Glória in Vila Velha-ES and defender of the bond at the ecclesiastical tribunals of Vitória and Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, as bishop of the diocese of Porto Nacional, Brazil.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. José Paulino Francisco Neto was born on 30 August 1972 in Comercinho, diocese of Araçuaí, in the State of Minas Gerais. He carried out his studies in philosophy in the São José Diocesan Seminary and in theology at the Sagrado Coração de Jesus Provincial Seminary in Diamantina. He specialized in law, obtaining a licentiate from the Instituto de Direito Canônico do Rio de Janeiro and a doctorate from the Pontifical Catholic University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He was ordained a priest on 4 August 2000, and incardinated into the diocese of Araçuaí.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of the archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro and of Vitória; parish vicar of Nossa Senhora da Piedade in Turmalina-MG (2000-2001); parish priest of São Miguel in Catuji-MG (2001-2002); seminary formator (2002-2014); chancellor (2002-2007) and bursar (2002-2009) of the diocese; parish priest of Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora in Coronel Murta-MG (2003-2004); rector of the seminary (2005-2008); director and chairman of TV Araçuaí (2005–2015); parish priest of Santo Antônio in Araçuaí-MG (2007–2015); vice rector of the seminary (2008–2015); diocesan pastoral co-ordinator (2011–2015); judicial vicar of the diocese of Araçuaí, parish vicar of São Domingos in Virgem da Lapa, Minas Gerais, and parish priest of São José Cathedral in Araçuaí; parish administrator of Nossa Senhora da Glória in Vila Velha-ES and defender of the bond at the Interdiocesan Tribunals of Vitória and Cachoeiro de Itapemirim-ES.
Consecration of archbishop of Chongqing, China
Today, Tuesday 8 September 2026, the Reverend Andrew Ding Yang received episcopal consecration. On 28 July 2026, the Holy Father appointed him archbishop of Chongqing, Chongqing Municipality, China, having approved his candidacy within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China.
Curriculum vitae
The Reverend Andrew Ding Yang was born on 16 September 1981, in the District of Hechuan, in Chongqing. From 2000 to 2006 he attended the seminary of Beijing. After a year of pastoral service in the parish of Saint Joseph in Yuzhong, Chongqing, he was ordained a priest on 24 May 2007. He then held the role of deputy parish priest in the aforementioned parish. From 2009 to 2011 he stayed in Macao, where he continued his studies in theology at Saint Joseph University. From 2012 to 2014 he was an educator at the National Theological Seminary in Beijing. In March 2014, he moved to Rome, where he studied at the University of the Holy Cross, returning to China the following year. He subsequently served as parish priest in Tongliang, Tongnan, Tongguanyi and Jiulongpo, within the archdiocese of Chongqing.
