Pope Francis appointed bishops around the world this week, including Slovakia, Ghana, Bolivia, and Germany.
Resignation and appointment of bishop of the eparchy of Košice for Catholics of Byzantine rite, Slovakia
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the eparchy of Košice for Catholics of Byzantine rite, Slovakia, presented by Bishop Milan Chautur, C.SS.R.
The Holy Father has appointed, as bishop of the eparchy of Košice for Catholics of Byzantine rite, Archbishop Cyril Vasil’, S.J., until now apostolic administrator sede plena of the same circumscription, conserving his personal title of archbishop.
Curriculum vitae
Archbishop Cyril Vasil’, S.J., was born on 10 April 1965 in Košice, Slovakia. From 1982 to 1987 he attended the Theological Faculty of Saints Cyril and Methodius, of the University of Bratislava, and was ordained a priest in 1987. After brief pastoral service he transferred to Rome to study canon law, and in 1990 he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus, giving his religious vows in 2001.
After obtaining a doctorate, in 2000 he was appointed as dean of the Faculty of Oriental Canon Law at the Pontifical Oriental Institute, where he subsequently served as vice-rector (2004-2007) and rector until his appointment as secretary of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches on 7 May 2009, and his episcopal consecration on 14 September 2009.
He has edited numerous scientific publications and articles, especially in the field of Eastern Canon Law, holding lessons in various Pontifical Faculties and in Slovakia. In Rome for several years he was spiritual assistant to a group of Guides and Scouts of Europe, an association for which he was then Federal Counsellor.
On 20 January 2020 the Holy Father appointed him as apostolic administrator sede plena of the eparchy of Košice for Catholics of Byzantine rite.
He is a member of the College for the Examination of Appeals in matters of of delicta graviora at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, and consultor of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts.
In addition to Slovak, he speaks Italian, English, Russian, Ukrainian and French.
Appointment of bishop of Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana, the Reverend John Baptist Attakruh, of the clergy of Sekondi-Takoradi, until now apostolic administrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the same diocese.
Curriculum vitae
The Reverend John Baptist Attakruh was born on 13 October 1957 in Juabo (diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi). He entered Saint Teresa’s Minor Seminary in Elmina (1972-1979). He carried out his formation as a novice in the Society of Jesus in Benin City (1980-1982). After becoming a seminarian in the diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi, he completed his philosophical studies at the Institut Saint Pierre Canisius in Kinshasa (1982-1985) and his theological studies at Saint Peter’s Regional Seminary in Cape Coast (1985-1989). He obtained a licentiate in liturgy from the Pontifical Athenaeum Sant’Anselmo in Rome (1992-1995). He was ordained a priest on 30 July 1989.
Since ordination he has held the following positions: deputy pastor of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Asankragwa (1989-1991); vice rector of Saint Mary’s Minor Seminary, chaplain of Saint Mary’s Boys Senior High School in Apowa and director of vocations of the diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi (1991-1992); director of Saint Kizito Pastoral and Catechetical Center in Apowa; director of the liturgical office; member of the College of Consultors; member of the Presbyteral Council; member of the Diocesan Pastoral Board; diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies and member of the National Liturgical Commission (1996-1998); and formator and lecturer at Saint Peter’s Regional Seminary in Cape Coast (1998-2004). From 2004 to 2014 he spent a sabbatical period in the United States of America, where he was awarded a Master of Science in Educational Administration from Saint John’s University and served as chaplain of the Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center and guest priest at the Saint John the Baptist Church, diocese of Rockville Center. Subsequently, besides holding a number of offices prior to the period spent in the United States, he was: coordinator of the first diocesan Synod of Sekondi-Takoradi (2015); diocesan coordinator of the Year of Mercy (2016); member of the National Catechetical Commission (2015-2020); and parish priest of the Saint Francis of Assisi Church, in Beahu (2016-2017). Since 2016 he has taught liturgy at Saint Peter’s Regional Seminary, since 2017 he has served as parish priest of the Saint Ignatius Church at the Air Force base in Takoradi, and from 2020 to the present he has held the role of apostolic administrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the diocese of Sekondi-Takoradi.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Cochabamba, Bolivia
The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Cochabamba, Bolivia, the Reverend Víctor Iván Vargas Galarza of the clergy of the same archdiocese, until now parish priest of San Ildefonso in Quillacollo and rector of the Vírgen María de Urkupiña archdiocesan shrine, assigning him the titular see of Bladia.
Curriculum vitae
The Reverend Víctor Iván Vargas Galarza was born on 14 December 1968 in Cochabamba. He was ordained a priest on 10 May 1997, for the same archdiocese.
He attended the preparatory year at the San Cristóbal Seminary in Sucre (1989), and studied philosophy and theology at the San José National Seminary in Cochabamba (1990-1995). He was awarded a licentiate in liturgical theology at the Faculty of Theology of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain (2007).
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of San Ildefonso in Quillacollo (1998-2000, 2007-2012); parish vicar of San Juan Bautista in Punata (2000-2001); formator at the San José National Seminary in Cochabamba (2001-2004); diocesan assistant of the Base Ecclesial Communities (2003-2008); deputy vicar forane of Valle Bajo (2008-2010); supervisor of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission (2009-2021) and parish priest of San Miguel in Tiquipaya (2012-2021). Until the present he has served as parish priest of San Ildefonso in Quillacolla and rector of the Vírgen María de Urkupiña archdiocesan shrine.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Paderborn, Germany
The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Paderborn, Germany, the Reverend Josef Holtkotte, of the clergy of the same archdiocese, until now national president of Kolpingwerk (the Kolping Association), assigning him the titular see of Simingi.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Josef Holtkotte was born on 29 March 1963 in Castrop-Rauxel, in the metropolitan archdiocese of Paderborn.
He carried out his studies in philosophy and theology at the Theologische Fakultät Paderborn.
He was ordained a priest on 2 June 1990, and incardinated in the clergy of Paderborn.
He then served as parish vicar of St. Anna in Verl (1990-1994) and St. Bonifatius in Paderborn (1994-1997).
He was subsequently diocesan president of Kolpingwerk and, from 2005, parish priest of St. Jodokus in Bielefeld.
From 2013 to the present he has served as national president of Kolpingwerk.
