Resignation and appointment of archbishop of Barcelona, Spain

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

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Mwanza, Tanzania

Resignation and appointment of archbishop of Barcelona, Spain

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Barcelona, Spain, presented by His Eminence Cardinal Juan José Omella Omella.

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Octavi Vilá Mayo, O. Cist., as metropolitan archbishop of Barcelona, Spain, transferring him from the diocese of Girona.

Curriculum vitae

Archbishop-elect Octavi Vilá Mayo, O. Cist., was born on 11 December 1961 in Tarragona, Spain, He studied philosophy and theology at the Faculty of Theology of Catalonia. He entered the novitiate in the Monastery of Poblet in 2006, and made his perpetual vows in 2010.

He was ordained a priest on 1 May 2015.

He was awarded a licentiate in geography and history (1984), a diploma in library and information science at the Universitat de Barcelona (1987), and a diploma in new information technologies at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (1996). He has served as secretary and vice president of the Bibliographic Archive of Santes Creus (1998-2005) and abbot of the Monastery of Santa María de Poblet (from 2015 to 2024).

He was appointed bishop of the diocese of Girona on 29 February 2024, receiving episcopal ordination the following 21 April.

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

The Holy Father has erected the diocese of Nzega in Tanzania, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Tabora, making it a suffragan of the latter.

At the same time, he appointed the Reverend Joseph Mashaka Triphon, C.S.Sp., hitherto parish priest of the Cathedral of Bagamoyo, as first bishop of the newly-erected diocese.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Joseph Mashaka Triphon, C.S.Sp., was born on 15 January 1962 in Tanzania. He studied philosophy at the Spiritan Missionary Seminary in Arusha, and theology at Tangaza College in Nairobi, Kenya, while undertaking a year of pastoral placement in Papua New Guinea.

On 1 October 1994, he made his perpetual vows and was ordained a priest on 27 May 1995.

After ordination, he first held the role of head of youth and school ministry for the French Province of the Spiritans (1995–2003). He studied religious studies at the University of Strasbourg, France (1996–1998), and went on to serve as treasurer of the East African Province of the Spiritans, at the Provincial House in Tengeru, Arusha, Tanzania (2003–2010). He obtained a certificate in counselling from Lambeth College, London (2010–2012).

Upon returning to Tanzania he held the following offices: parish assistant at the parish of Virgin Mary Mother of Our Saviour in Kipawa, in the archdiocese of Dar es Salaam (2012-2016), director of the Libermann School in Kipawa (2012-2021), parish priest of Kipawa and dean of the deanery of Segerea (2016-2021), parish priest of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Kasumo, in the diocese of Kigoma; dean and vicar for religious (2021-2025), and parish priest of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in the diocese of Bagamoyo (since 2025).

Statistical data

The newly-erected diocese of Nzega was dismembered from the archdiocese of Tabora, and is a suffragan of the latter. The see of the diocese is in the city of Nzega and will include in full the civil districts of Nzega and Igunga, within the administrative region of Tabora. The Church of Saint Bernadette, located in the heart of the city of Nzega, will serve as the Cathedral.

New diocese of Nzega, Tanzania

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Mwanza, Tanzania

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Maximilian Francis Buluma, of the clergy of Mwanza, Tanzania, until now lecturer at Saint Augustine Major Seminary in Peramiho, diocese of Songea, as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Mwanza, Tanzania, assigninig him the titular see of Puppi.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Maximilian Francis Buluma was born on 29 October 1976 in Tanzania. He carried out his seminary formation in Tanzania and was ordained a priest on 10 December 2006.

He has held the following offices: parish assistant of the parish of Saint Bernadette in Kahangala (2006-2007), parish priest of the parish of Mary Mother of Missionaries in Malya (2007-2008), and secretary to the Archbishop (2008-2009).

He was awarded a licentiate in Christology from the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Southern Italy, Saint Thomas of Aquinas Section, in Naples, Italy (2009-2015).

Upon returning to Tanzania, he held the following offices: parish priest of the parish of Saint Charles in Ibindo (2015-2016), rector of the Archbishop Mayala Girls’ Secondary School in Ibindo (2015-2016) and of Saint Mary’s Minor Seminary in Nyegezi (2016-2017), and teacher at the Saint Augustine Major Seminary in Peramiho, diocese of Songea (2017-2026).