Pope Francis has accepted two episcopal resignations and made several appointments in Europe and the Americas. The decisions below were announced on March 20, 2021, by the Vatican.
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Resignation of bishop of Río Negro, Argentina
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Río Negro, Argentina, presented by Bishop Marcelo Alejandro Cuenca Revuelta.
Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archbishop of Reggio Calabria-Bova, Italy
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Reggio Calabria-Bova, Italy, presented by Bishop Giuseppe Fiorini Morosini, O.M.
The Pope has appointed as metropolitan archbishop of Reggio Calabria-Bova, Italy, the Reverend Fortunato Morrone, of the clergy of Crotone-Santa Severina, until now parish priest of San Leonardo di Cutro and lecturer in systematic theology at the Theological Institute of Calabria.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Fortunato Morrone was born on 20 September 1958 in Isola di Capo Rizzuto, Crotone. He attended the first four years of the seminary courses at the Studio Zenoniano of Verona, and was awarded a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Pontifical Lateran University of Rome (1982). He was awarded a licentiate and a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1986).
On 1 October 1983, he was ordained a priest and incardinated in the archdiocese of Crotone-Santa Severina, where he held the following offices: parish priest of Melissa (1986-1990); diocesan assistant for young people in Catholic Action (1986-2001); parish priest of Santa Maria de Prothospataris in Crotone (1989-1999); diocesan Head of Youth Ministry (1989-2002); speaker of the diocesan Synod of Crotone-Santa Severina (1988-2002); delegate of the archbishop for the Laity, secretary of the presbyteral council and of the archdiocesan pastoral council (1994-1996); parish priest in solidum (1999-2008) and administrator of the parish Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Le Castella (2009-2013); head of the Permanent Diaconate (2002) and the Training School for pastoral workers (2000-2006); regional assistant of Catholic Action (2008-2018); and parish vicar of Mary Immaculate and San Michele in Botricello (2013-2015). Since 1986 he has taught dogmatic theology at the ISR Unus Magister in Crotone, and since 1989 at the Theological Institute of Calabria. From 2009 until the present he has served as professor of systematic theology at the same Institute aggregated to the Pontifical Faculty of Southern Italy, since 2015 parish priest of San Leonardo di Cutro, and since 2018 vicar forane of Isola di Capo Rizzuto.
Appointment of archbishop of Rossano-Cariati, Italy
The Holy Father has appointed as archbishop of the archdiocese of Rossano-Cariati, Italy, the Reverend Maurizio Aloise, of the clergy of the metropolitan archbishop of Catanzaro-Squillace, until now pro-vicar general.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Maurizio Aloise was born on 20 April 1969 in Catanzaro, in the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Catanzaro-Squillace. He graduated from high school at the Art Institute of Squillace and entered the diocesan seminary. He studied theology at the Theological Institute of Calabria in Catanzaro, obtaining a bachelor’s degree. After his ordination to the priesthood, he went on to study social morality and Mariology at the Marianum Pontifical Theological Faculty in Rome.
After his ordination as a priest for the metropolitan archdiocese of Catanzaro-Squillace on 18 November 1995, he carried out pastoral work as parish administrator of San Nicola Vescovo in Gagliato and as deputy parish priest of Santa Maria della Pietra in Chiaravalle Centrale. In the parish of Gagliato, in 1997, working with the volunteers of the parish Caritas and the civil organisations involved, he coordinated the reception of Kurdish refugees who had landed on the coast of Soverato. Since 1999 he has been co-parish moderator of Santa Maria delle Nevi in Girifalco and director of the diocesan vocations office. He was later parish administrator of Santa Maria Assunta in Zagarise and of San Nicola di Bari in Cardinale. For the past year he has served as vice-president of the Betania Onlus Foundation in Catanzaro. Until now he has been parish priest of Santa Domenica V.M., rector of the diocesan Shrine of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Torre di Ruggiero, and since 2011, pro-vicar General. He has been a member of various diocesan bodies.
Appointment of bishop of Amiens, France
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Amiens, France, the Reverend Gérard Le Stang, of the clergy of the diocese of Quimper, until now parish priest of Notre-Dame du Folgoët-Abers-Côte des Légendes.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Gérard Le Stang was born on 28 June 1963 in Plougonvelin, Finisterre, in the diocese of Quimper. After his secondary studies he attended the faculty of medicine of the Université de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest, and initiated his formation to the priesthood in the interdiocesan seminary of Vannes.
He was ordained a priest on 17 June 1990, and incardinated in the diocese of Quimper. He completed his formation at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, obtaining a licentiate in dogmatic theology in 1994. He is a member of the Prêtres du Coeur de Jésus Secular Institute, of the Cor Unum spiritual family.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Saint-Louis in Brest (1990-1992); parish vicar of the cathedral of Quimper, chaplain of public instruction for Quimper-Centre and professor of the interdiocesan seminary of Vannes (1994-1996); Diocesan Chaplain of the Mouvement Eucharistique des Jeunes (1994-1999); Formator of the Inter-Diocesan Seminary of Vannes (1996-1999); Formator (1999-2003) and Rector of the Inter-Diocesan Seminary of Rennes (2003-2009); General Secretary of the National Council of Major Seminaries (2006-2009); vicar general of Quimper, diocesan delegate for the pastoral care of vocations, the diaconate, missionary cooperation and formation (2009-2013); administrator of the Quimper-Rive-Gauche parish unit (2012-2013); adjunct general secretary of the French Episcopal Conference (2013-2016); parish priest in solidum and moderator of the parish unit Notre-Dame du Folgoët, Côte-des-Légendes, Cœeur-des-Abers, Plouguerneau and Vallons-de-l’Aber-Benoît (2016-2017). Since 2017 he has been Parish Priest of Notre-Dame du Folgoët-Abers-Côte-des-Légendes and since 2020 general secretary of the presbyteral council.
Appointment of bishop of Talca, Chile
The Holy Father has appointed as bishop of the diocese of Talca, Chile, Bishop Galo Fernández Villaseca, until now titular of Simingi, auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Santiago de Chile and apostolic administrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of Talca.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Galo Fernández Villaseca was born on 3 February 1961 in Santiago. He completed his philosophical and theological studies at the Seminario Pontificio Mayor de Santiago.
He was ordained a priest on 12th December 1987.
As a priest he held the following positions: parish vicar of Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes in Santiago, parish priest of Cristo Nuestro Redentor in Peñalolén, parish priest of Santa Clara, episcopal vicar of the Vicaría de la Esperanza Jóven and episcopal vicar of the western zone of the archdiocese.
Appointed titular bishop of Simingi and auxiliary of the metropolitan archdiocese of Santiago de Chile on 1 February 2014, he received consecration on the following 10 May. On 28 June 2018 he was appointed apostolic administrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the diocese of Talca.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Rome, Italy
The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliary bishop of Rome, Italy, the Reverend Benoni Ambarus, of the clergy of the same diocese, until now parish priest of S.S. Elisabetta e Zaccaria in Valle Muricana and director of Caritas Rome, assigning him the titular see of Tronto.
Curriculum vitae
Msgr. Benoni Ambarus was born on 22 September 1974 in Somusca-Bacau, Romania. From 1990 to 1996 he attended the seminary of Iaşi, Romania, and from November 1996 he continued his seminary formation at the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in theology. He obtained a licentiate in dogmatic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (2001).
On 29 June 2000 he was ordained a priest for the diocese of Iaşi (Romania).
From 2001 to 2007 he exercised his priestly ministry in Rome, as an educator at the Pontifical Roman Major Seminary (2001-2004) and as a collaborator in the parish of San Frumenzio ai Prati Fiscali (2004-2007).
In 2007 he was incardinated in the diocese of Rome. From 2007 to 2010 he served as deputy parish priest of San Frumenzio ai Prati Fiscali and from 2010 to 2012 deputy parish priest of Santa Maria Causa Nostrae Laetitiae in Torre Gaia. In 2017 he was deputy director of Caritas Rome. From 2012 until now he has served as parish priest of S.S. Elisabetta and Zaccaria in Valle Muricana and, since 2018, director of Caritas Rome.
