Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

Resignation and appointment of bishop of Faro, Portugal

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Faro, Portugal, presented by Bishop Manuel Neto Quintas, S.C.I.

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Vitorino José Pereira Soares as bishop of the diocese of Faro, Portugal, transferring him from the titular see of Gisipa and the office of auxiliary of Porto.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop Vitorino José Pereira Soares was born on 19 October 1960 in Luzim, Penafiel, in the diocese of Porto. He studied philosophy and theology at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa in Porto.

He was ordained a priest on 14 July 1985 for the diocese of Porto.

He has held the following offices: military chaplain of the Regiment of Serra do Pilar in Porto; collaborator in the parish of Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição in Porto; prefect of the major seminary and director of the diocesan Youth Pastoral Secretariat; parish priest in Castelões de Cepeda and in Madalena; vicar of Paredes and member of the diocesan Youth Pastoral Council; and to date, rector of the major seminary of Porto.

On 17 July 2019 he was appointed titular bishop of Gisipa and auxiliary of the diocese of Porto, receiving episcopal ordination the following 19 September.

Within the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, he chairs the Episcopal Commission for Vocations and Ministries.

Resignation and Appointment of the Bishop of Jericó (Colombia)

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Jericó (Colombia) submitted by H.E. Mons. Noel Antonio Londoño Buitrago, C.SS.R.

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Diego Luis Rendón Urrea, a priest of the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Osos (Colombia), until now Rector of the Fundación Universitaria Católica del Norte and of the UCN Cyber School ( Cibercolegio ), as Bishop of Jericó (Colombia).

Curriculum Vitae

H.E. Mons. Diego Luis Rendón Urrea was born on 3 June 1967 in Rionegro, in the Diocese of Sonsón - Rionegro. After completing his philosophical and theological studies at the Major Seminary of Santa Rosa de Osos , he attended the Santo Tomás de Aquino University  in Medellín. He later earned a specialization in Educational Management from the Universidad de San Buenaventura  in Medellín and a specialization in Virtual Education Pedagogy from the Fundación Universitaria Católica del Norte . He also pursued doctoral studies in Education at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata in Argentina.

He was ordained to the priesthood on 21 November 2000 and was incardinated into the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Osos.

He has held the following offices:

Parochial Vicar of the Parish of the Inmaculada Concepción in Amalfi (2001); Rector of the Cyber School affiliated with the Fundación Universitaria Católica del Norte (UCN) (2002–2005); Vicar for Catholic Education (2002–2005); Vocations Director and Delegate for Missionary Pastoral Ministry (2005–2009); Diocesan Delegate for Social Pastoral Ministry – Caritas (2010–2011); Diocesan Vicar for Pastoral Ministry (2010–2011); Chaplain of the National Training Service (SENA) (2011–2014);

Pastor of Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Gómez Plata (2014–2015); Since 2015, Rector of the Fundación Universitaria Católica del Norte and of its Cibercolegio .

On 20 June 2026, the Holy Father appointed H.E. Mons. Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, as his Special Envoy to the celebrations marking the 35 th anniversary of the renewal of the structures of the Latin Rite Church in Ukraine. The celebrations will take place at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Scapular in Berdychiv on 19 July 2026.

The Pontifical Mission is composed of the following clergy:

1. Mons. Andrzej Legowicz, Private Secretary to the Archbishop of Lviv;

2. Father Pavlo Khomiak, Chancellor of the Diocese of Lutsk.

The following is the text of the Pontifical Letter to His Excellency the Special Envoy, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher:

Letter of the Holy Father

Venerabili Fratri

Paulo Richardo Gallagher

Archiepiscopo titulo Hodelmensi

Secretario

Sectionis de Rationibus cum Civitatibus et Institutis Internationalibus

Secretariae Status

«Sacrosancta Romana Ecclesia devotos ac humiles filios ex assueto pietatis officio propensius diligere consuevit et, ne pravorum hominum molestiis agitentur, eos tamquam pia Mater suae protectionis munimine confovere», scripsit Praedecessor Noster Gregorius PP. IX in Litteris ad clerum et christifideles ritus latini in territorio hodiernae Ucrainae degentes anno MCCXXXIV missis, qui «zelo fidei ac devotionis accensi, murum defensionis opposuerunt pro cultu divini nominis ampliando et occasione huiusmodi a persecutoribus fidei christianae, qui iis assiduas posuerunt insidias, saepius molestati damna sustinuerunt et rapinas», in beati Petri tutelam eos recipiens una cum «familiis eorum et aliis bonis» ( Litterae dilectis filiis Ulrico et fratribus suis eorumque concivibus latinis in Kiovia ).

Superioribus saeculis clerici et christifideles catholici ibi degentes testimonium fidei strenue praebuerunt variis in rerum adiunctis historiae, praecipue XX saeculo, cum Ucraina, alterius belli mundialis sub exitum, subiugata est regimini sovieticae doctrinae obnoxio. Eodemque tempore catholica Ecclesia in illa regione subiecta est crudeli persecutioni a potestate civili institutae et effectae, quae propositum habuit eam prorsus in populo exstinguendi. Transactis acerbis annis, Ecclesia Romana ibi rursus vitam et incrementum suum renovavit et nunc XXXV anniversariam memoriam celebrat instaurationis suarum institutionum. Hoc anno etiam celebrantur XXV transacti anni ab Itinere Apostolico a s. Ioanne Paulo PP. II in Ucraina peracto.

His prorsus de causis Venerabilis Frater Vitalis Skomarovskyi, Episcopus Luceoriensis Latinorum necnon Conferentiae Episcopalis Ucrainae Praeses, nomine omnium Antistitum postulavit, ut ad hoc duplex iubilaeum prosequendum Nos aliquem praestantissimum ecclesiasticum virum eligeremus, qui hac in celebratione personam Nostram gereret. Omnibus ergo mature perpensis, harum Litterarum virtute, Te, Venerabilis Frater, MISSUM EXTRAORDINARIUM NOSTRUM nominamus, tributis tibi facultatibus, ut nomine Nostro in oppido Berdychiv die XIX proximi mensis Iulii Missae celebrationi in XXXV anniversaria memoria renovationis institutionum Ecclesiae catholicae ritus latini in Ucraina atque in XXV anniversaria memoria Itineris Apostolici a s. Ioanne Paulo PP. II in Ucraina peracti praeesse valeas.

Liturgicis igitur ritibus Nostro nomine in Sanctuario Nationali Deo in honorem Beatae Mariae Virginis in oppido Berdychiv dicato praesidebis Nostramque benignam omnibus significabis salutationem itidemque paternam proximitatem. In precibus, quaesumus, Deo grato animo commendabis omnes vivos et defunctos christifideles istius populi, qui causa atrocitatis belli summopere patitur. Congregatos inde invitabis ad pacem pro mundo et familiis implorandam, necnon ad fidelitatem erga Dei mandata servandam.

Missionem tuam comitentur validum patrocinium Beatae Mariae Virginis, praesidium s. Michaëlis Archangeli et intercessio s. Petri apostoli necnon plurimorum sanctorum terrae Ucrainae. Tibi, denique, Venerabilis Frater, Nostram Apostolicam Benedictionem libenter impertimur, quam utriusque ritus catholicis Episcopis, sacerdotibus, religiosis viris et mulieribus, christifidelibus laicis, civilibus Auctoritatibus omnibusque iubilaris laetitiae participibus nomine Nostro te largiri volumus.

Ex Aedibus Vaticanis, die XXIX mensis Iunii, in sollemnitate Ss. Petri et Pauli, apostolorum, anno MMXXVI, Pontificatus Nostri secundo.

LEO PP. XIV

Resignation of the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland Resignation and Succession of the Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil (Canada) Resignation and Appointment of the Ordinary for the Eastern Faithful Lacking a Hierarchy of Their Own in their sui iuris Church in Austria Appointment of Auxiliary Bishop of Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania)

Resignation of the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the office of Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland submitted by the Titular Archbishop of Illici, H.E. Mons. Luis Mariano Montemayor, making use of the provision set forth in Article 20, §2, of the Regulations for Pontifical Representations.

Resignation and Succession of the Bishop of Saint-Jean-Longueuil (Canada)

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil (Canada) submitted by H.E. Mons. Claude Hamelin. H.E. Mons. Martin Laliberté, P.M.E., who until now has served as Coadjutor Bishop of the same Diocese, will succeed him.

Resignation and Appointment of the Ordinary for the Eastern Faithful Lacking a Hierarchy of Their Own sui iuris Church in Austria

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the office of Ordinary for the Eastern faithful who do not have a hierarchy of their own sui iuris Church in Austria, submitted by His Eminence Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, O.P., Archbishop Emeritus of Vienna.

The Holy Father has appointed His Excellency Archbishop Josef Grünwidl, Metropolitan Archbishop of Vienna, as Ordinary for the Eastern faithful lacking a hierarchy of their own sui iuris Church in Austria.

Appointment of Auxiliary Bishop of Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania)

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Vincent Lawrence Mpwaji, a priest of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam, until now Diocesan Chancellor, as Auxiliary Bishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania), assigning to him the titular See of Tacarata in Numidia.

Curriculum Vitae

Bishop-elect Vincent Lawrence Mpwaji was born on 5 June 1978 in Morogoro, Tanzania. He studied Philosophy at St. Anthony of Padua in Bukoba and Theology at St. Charles Lwanga Seminary in Dar es Salaam. He was ordained to the priesthood on 7 July 2008.

He has held the following offices and pursued further studies: Diocesan Secretary, Secretary for Education, and Notary of the Archdiocesan Tribunal (2008-2011); Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (2021); Member of the Archdiocesan Projects Committee (since 2021); Since 2021, he is the Diocesan Chancellor of the Archdiocese and the Parochial Vicar of St. Joseph's Cathedral in Dar-es-Salaam.

Resignation and Appointment of the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Winnipeg (Canada)

Appointment of the Apostolic Vicar of Jaén (Peru)

Resignation and Appointment of the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Winnipeg (Canada)

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral governance of the Metropolitan Ukrainian Archeparchy of Winnipeg (Canada) submitted by H.E. Lawrence Huculak, O.S.B.M.

The Holy Father has appointed H.E. Michael Kwiatkowski, until now Bishop of the Ukrainian Eparchy of New Westminster, as Metropolitan Archbishop of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Winnipeg (Canada).

Appointment of the Apostolic Vicar of Jaén (Peru)

The Holy Father has appointed the Rev. Fr. Juan Carlos Morante Buchhammer, S.J., until now Superior of the San Ignacio de Loyola House in Piura, as Apostolic Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Jaén (Peru).

Curriculum Vitae

The Bishop-elect Juan Carlos Morante Buchhammer, S.J. was born on January 25, 1958, in Piura, Peru. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering from the National University of Engineering in Lima, a Licentiate in Philosophy from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú  , and a Licentiate in Theology from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California.

He was ordained a priest on July 31, 1992, and made his solemn profession in the Society of Jesus on May 30, 2000, in Lima.

He has held the following positions and pursued further studies: He earned a Doctorate in Philosophy from the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas de Madrid  (1999).  Professor of Philosophy at the Escuela Superior de Pedagogía, Filosofía y Letras Antonio Ruiz de Montoya and Executive Director of the Instituto de Filosofía, Sociología y Política (1999–2008).  Member of the Equipo Jesuita Latinoamericano de Reflexión Filosófica (2001–2011). Councillor of the Peruvian Jesuit Province (2001–2003) and Consultor (2004–2014).  Superior of the Virgen de Nazaret House , El Agustino, Lima (2004–2011). Professor (2008–2011), Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, and later Rector (2011–2014) of the Universidad Antonio Ruiz de Montoya . Superior of the San Francisco de Borja House, Lima (2012–2014). Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus in Peru (2014–2019).  Professor and Head of the Unidad Académica de la Escuela Superior de Pedagogía Víctor Andrés Belaunde (2020–2024). Superior of the San Ignacio de Loyola House in Piura and Coordinator of the Piura and Chiclayo Plataformas Territoriales (2025–2026).