Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archdiocese of Kraków, Poland

Appointment of bishop of San José del Guaviare, Colombia

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany

Appointment of auxiliary bishops of São Paulo, Brazil

 

Resignation and appointment of metropolitan archdiocese of Kraków, Poland

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Kraków, presented by Bishop Marek Jędraszewski.

The Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś as metropolitan archbishop of Kraków, transferring him from the metropolitan see of Łódź.

Curriculum vitae

His Eminence Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś was born on 9 February 1964 in Kraków. After attending the major seminary of Kraków, he received priestly ordination on 22 May 1988 for the archdiocese of Kraków.

After ordination, he first held the role of parish vicar of Saints Margaret and Catherine in Kęty (1988-1989). He was awarded a doctorate from the Pontifical Theological Academy in Kraków (1989-1994), and went on to serve as professor of Church history at the Pontifical Theological Academy, then at the Pontifical John Paul II University in Kraków (1994-2011), director of the Archive of the Cathedral Chapter of Wawel (2004-2007), rector of the major seminary (2007-2011), president of the Conference of Rectors of Major Seminaries in Poland (2010-2011).

He was appointed titular bishop of Arcavica and auxiliary of Kraków on 16 July 2011, receiving episcopal ordination the following 28 September. On 14 September 2017 he was transferred to the metropolitan see of Łódź. Within the Polish Episcopal Conference he is a member of the Permanent Council, the Council for Ecumenism, the Council for Culture and the Protection of Cultural Heritage, and the Council for the Family.

In the Consistory of 30 September 2023 he was created Cardinal with the title of Santi Cirillo e Metodio . He is a member of the Dicastery for Bishops (since 2000) and the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

 

Appointment of bishop of San José del Guaviare, Colombia

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Jesús Alberto Torres Ariza, of the clergy of the diocese of Valledupar, until now episcopal vicar for pastoral care, episcopal delegate for social pastoral care and parish priest of Santa María Madre y Reina de la paz of Valledupar.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Jesús Alberto Torres Ariza was born on 6 June 1975 in Urumita, diocese of Valledupar. He studied philosophy and theology at the Juan Pablo II Major Seminary of the diocese of Valledupar. He was awarded a licentiate in missiology from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.

He was ordained a priest on 2 August 2003 for the diocese of Valledupar.

He has held the following offices: parish priest of Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Pueblo Bello and diocesan delegate for the pastoral care of indigenous peoples (2003-2005), parish priest of Nuestra Señora del Carmen in Valledupar, rector of El Carmelo College and diocesan delegate for the pastoral care of schools (2005-2009), parish priest of La Inmaculada Concepción in Valledupar (2012-2017), parish priest of La Natividad de María in Valledupar (2017-2023), teacher at the Juan Pablo II Major Seminary of Valledupar (since 2006), and to date, episcopal vicar for pastoral care and episcopal delegate for social pastoral care (since 2012) and parish priest of Santa María Madre y Reina de la paz in Valledupar (since 2023).

 

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Mainz, Federal Republic of Germany

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Fr. Joshy George Pottackal, O.Carm., until now regional superior of the Carmelites and representative for the clergy of the diocese of Mainz, as auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Mainz, assigning him the titular see of Ceramussa.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Joshy George Pottackal, O.Carm., was born on 30 April 1977 in Meenkunnam, state of Kerala, India. After entering the Carmelite seminary of India, he was ordained a priest on 28 December 2003 in Thrissur.

He has held the following offices: chaplain (2005) and teacher of religion at the Martinus-Schule in Mainz, head of youth pastoral care for the deanery of Mainz (2005-2008), parish vicar of St. Alban , St. Jakobus and Hl. Kreuz in Mainz-Hechtsheim (2006-2008); parish priest of Hirschhorn and Neckarsteinach (2009); vice dean of Bergstrasse-Ost (2021); staff representative at the Episcopal Curia (2022).

Within the Carmelite Order, he has served to date as regional superior for members of the Province of Saint Thomas resident in Germany (since 2016) and prefect for formation in the Episcopal Seminary (since 2024).

 

Appointment of auxiliary bishops of São Paulo, Brazil

The Holy Father has appointed the following as auxiliary bishops of the metropolitan archdiocese of São Paulo, Brazil: Msgr. Celso Alexandre, of the clergy of the diocese of Ourinhos, until now parish priest of the Senhor Bom Jesus Cathedral, assigning him the titular see of Capsa; and Msgr. Márcio Antonio Vidal de Negreiros, O.S.A., until now secretary general of the Organization of the Augustinians of Latin America and the Caribbean (OALA), assigning him the titular see of Catula.

Curriculum vitae of Msgr. Celso Alexandre

Msgr. Celso Alexandre was born on 2 September 1969 in Chavantes, State of São Paulo. He studied philosophy at the Sagrado Coração de Jesus Provincial Seminary in Marília-SP and theology at the Instituto Teológico Pio XI in São Paulo-SP.

He was ordained a priest on 6 February 1999 for the diocese of Lins.

He has held the following offices: parish priest of Santa Luzia in Avanhandava-SP (1999-2002) and Santa Terezinha do Menino Jesus in Penápolis-SP (2002-2003), parish vicar of São Pio X  in Ourinhos-SP (2003), parish priest of Nossa Senhora Aparecida in Chavantes-SP (2003-2014), of the Senhor Bom Jesus Cathedral (2014-2021) and of São Sebastião in Piraju-SP (2021-2022), diocesan pastoral coordinator (2015-2025), vicar forane, diocesan assessor for the liturgy, ecclesiastical assistant for Renewal in the Spirit, the Cursilhos de Cristandade Movement and the Equipes de Nossa Senhora , spiritual director of the major seminary, member of the Presbyteral Council and the College of Consultors, and to date, parish priest of the Senhor Bom Jesus Cathedral in Ourinhos-SP.

Curriculum vitae of Msgr. Márcio Antonio Vidal de Negreiros, O.S.A.

Msgr. Márcio Antonio Vidal de Negreiros was born on 8 October 1967 in Dois Córregos, São Paulo. He studied philosophy at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte-MG and theology at the Pontifícia Faculdade de Teologia Nossa Senhora da Assunção in São Paulo-SP.

In 1991 he gave his religious vows in the Order of Saint Augustine and on 5 November 1994 he received priestly ordination.

He has held the following offices: vocational promoter (1992-2002) and 2008-2014), formator of the aspirantate and the preparatory year (1995-2002), of philosophy (2007-2010) and theology (2019-2021), parish vicar of Nossa Senhora Aparecida in Bragança Paulista-SP (1995-2002), parish priest of Cristo Redentor in Belo Horizonte-MG (2003-2006), master of novices in Brazil (2011-2014) and international novitiate in Lima, Peru (2015-2018), collaborator in the parishes of San Juan de la Cruz in Lima, Peru (2015-2018) and of São Pedro Apóstolo in São Bernardo do Campo-SP (2019-2021); prior and bursar of various communities, secretary and provincial counsellor, collaborator in various international services of the Order, and to date, secretary general of the Organization of the Augustinians of Latin America and the Caribbean (OALA) and parish vicar of Nossa Senhora Aparecida in Bragança Paulista-SP.

This morning’s General Audience took place at 10.00 in Saint Peter’s Square, where the Holy Father Leo XIV met with groups of pilgrims and faithful from Italy and all over the world.

In his address in Italian, the Pope resumed the cycle of catechesis that will continue throughout the entire Jubilee Year, “ Jesus Christ our hope ”, focusing on the theme The Resurrection of Christ and the challenges of the contemporary world. Hoping in life to beget life.

After summarizing his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed special greetings to the faithful present.

The General Audience concluded with the recitation of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.

 

Cycle of Catechesis – Jubilee 2025: Jesus Christ Our Hope. IV. The Resurrection of Christ and the Challenges of the Contemporary World. 6.  Hoping in life in order to beget life

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

The Pasch of Christ illuminates the mystery of life and allows us to look at it with hope. This is not always easy or obvious. Many lives, in every part of the world, appear laborious, painful, filled with problems and obstacles to be overcome. Yet human beings receive life as a gift: they do not ask for it, they do not choose it, they experience it in its mystery from the first to the last day. Life has its own extraordinary specificity: it is offered to us, we cannot give it to ourselves, but it must be constantly nurtured: it needs care to maintain, energize, protect and revive it.

One could say that the question about life is one of the most profound concerns of the human heart.  We entered life without having done anything to decide to do so. The questions of all ages gush forth from this  fact,  like   an overflowing river:  Who are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going? What is the ultimate meaning of this journey?

Indeed, living invokes meaning, direction, hope. And hope acts as the deep-seated drive that keeps us walking in difficulty, that prevents us from giving up in the fatigue of the journey, that makes us certain that the pilgrimage of existence will lead us home. Without hope, life risks appearing to be a parenthesis between two eternal nights, a brief pause between the before and the after of our journey on earth. To hope in life means instead to anticipate the destination, to believe as certain what we still cannot see or touch, to trust and to entrust ourselves to the love of a Father who created us because he wanted us with love, and wants us to be happy.

Dear friends, there is a widespread sickness in the world: the lack of confidence in life. It is as if we have resigned ourselves to a negative fatalism, to renunciation. Life risks no longer representing a gift, but an unknown, almost a threat from which to protect ourselves so as not to end up disappointed. For this reason, the courage to live and to generate life, to bear witness that God is the quintessential “ lover of life ”, as the  Book of Wisdom  (11:26) affirms, is today a more urgent call than ever.

In the Gospel, Jesus constantly confirms his concern for healing the sick, restoring wounded bodies and spirits, and giving life back to the dead. By doing so, the incarnate Son reveals the Father: he restores dignity to sinners, grants the forgiveness of sins, and includes everyone, especially the desperate, the excluded, those who are far from his promise of salvation.

Begotten by the Father, Christ is life and has generated life without reserve, to the point of giving his own, and he invites us too to give our lives. To generate means to bring someone else to life. The universe of the living has expanded via this law, which in the symphony of creatures experiences a wonderful “crescendo” culminating in the duet of man and woman: God created them in his own image and entrusted them with the mission of generating in his image, that is, for love and in love.

From the beginning, Sacred Scripture reveals to us that life, precisely in its highest form, the human form, receives the gift of freedom and becomes a tragedy. In this way, human relationships are also marked by contradiction, even to the point of fratricide. Cain perceives his brother Abel as a rival, a threat, and in his frustration, he feels unable to love him and respect him. Here we see jealousy, envy, and bloodshed ( Gen  4:1-16). God’s logic, instead, is completely different. God always stays faithful to his plan of love and life; he does not tire of supporting humanity even when, following in Cain’s footsteps, it obeys the blind instinct of violence in war, discrimination, racism, and the many forms of slavery.

To generate, then, means to trust in the God of life and to promote humanity in all its expressions: first and foremost, in the wonderful adventure of motherhood and fatherhood, even in social contexts in which families struggle to bear the burden of daily life, and are often held back in their plans and dreams. According to this same logic, to generate is to be committed to an economy based on solidarity, striving for a common good equally enjoyed by all, respecting and caring for creation, offering comfort through listening, presence, and concrete and selfless help.

Brothers and sisters, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the strength that supports us in this challenge, even when the darkness of evil obscures the heart and the mind. When life seems to have been extinguished, obstructed, the Risen Lord still passes by, until the end of time, and walks with us and for us. He is our hope.

______________

Greeting 

I extend a warm welcome to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those coming from the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Nigeria, Uganda, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Canada and the United States of America. In a particular way, I greet the bishops and priests from England and Wales who are celebrating their fortieth, fiftieth and sixtieth anniversaries of priestly ordination. I also greet the Eparchy of Keren in Eritrea, led by Bishop Kindane Yebio as it celebrates its thirtieth anniversary. May the Lord always guide you in your witness of charity, harmony and peace. In praying that all of you may experience an increase in the virtue of hope during this Jubilee Year, I invoke upon you, and your families, the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you!

______________

Summary of the Holy Father's words

Dear brothers and sisters, today, in our continuing catechesis on the Jubilee theme of “Christ our Hope,” we turn to consider a question that we all hold deep in our hearts: what is the meaning of life? The scripture passage we just heard responds to this question — life is, first and foremost, a gift from God who has created us out of love. One of the temptations prevelant today is a lack of trust in God’s goodness and love. Perhaps we no longer experience life as a gift because we are weighed down by its burdens, but the Risen Christ reminds us that God is always faithful to his plan of love. Trusting in God, we are invited to participate in this plan of life and of love by generating life. For those of you living the vocation of married life, this means discovering the gift and adventure of motherhood and fatherhood, in which you are called to participate in bringing new lives into this world and preparing them for the life that is eternal. Do not be afraid of this adventure, but prayerfully open yourselves to the gift of life, trusting in the God who we know loves us.

This morning, the Holy Father received in audience:

- Members of the International Theological Commission;

- A delegation from “Ave Maria University”, Florida, United States of America.

Statistics of the Catholic Church in Türkiye and Lebanon as of 31 December 2024 (compiled by the Central Office of Church Statistics)

 

Table 1 – Population and ecclesiastical structure

Table 2 – People engaged in activities of the apostolate

Table 3 – Indicators of pastoral workload

Table 4 – Priestly vocations

Table 5 – Educational centres owned / managed by ecclesiastics or religious

Table 6 – Charitable and social centres owned / managed by ecclesiastics or religious

 

The following are some statistical data relating to the situation of the Catholic Church in Türkiye and Lebanon as of 31 December 2024:

 

Table 1 – Population and ecclesiastical structure

 

Türkiye

Lebanon

Area (km 2 )

774,815

10,400

Population (in thousands)

85,812

4,466

Density (inhabitants/km 2 )

111

4,466

Catholics (in thousands)

33

2,003

Catholics per 100 inhabitants

0.04

44.85

Ecclesiastical circumscriptions

7

24

Parishes

40

1,116

Other pastoral centres

18

47

Catholics per pastoral centre

569

1,722

 

Table 2 – People engaged in activities of the apostolate

 

Türkiye

Lebanon

Bishops (Situation on 31.10.2025)

10

49

Diocesan priests

18

917

Religious priests

58

647

Total priests

76

1,564

Permanent deacons

2

46

Men religious (other than priests)

5

118

Professed women religious

37

1,698

Members of secular Institutes

1

4

Lay missionaries

2

145

Catechists

56

402

  

Table 3 – Indicators of pastoral workload

 

Türkiye

Lebanon

Catholics per priest

434

1,281

Catholics per pastoral worker

175

498

Priests per pastoral centre

1.31

1.34

Priests per 100 people engaged in activities of the apostolate

45.5

40.1

 

Table 4 – Priestly vocations

 

Türkiye

Lebanon

Minor seminarians

1

12

Major seminarians

10

270

Major seminarians per 100,000 inhabitants

 

0.01

6.05

Major seminarians per 100,000 Catholics 

30.3

13.5

Major seminarians per 100 priests

13.2

17.3

 

Table 5 – Educational centres owned / managed by ecclesiastics or religious

 

Türkiye

Lebanon

Schools:

 

 

Pre-school and primary

13

503

Lower middle and secondary

10

191

Higher and university

1

50

 

 

 

Students in:

 

 

Pre-school and primary schools

1,165

137,976

Lower middle and secondary schools

5,198

49,367

Higher and university institutes

400

56,235

 

Table 6 – Charitable and social centres owned / managed by ecclesiastics or religious

 

Türkiye

Lebanon

Hospitals

5

23

Clinics

2

85

Leper colonies

-

1

Homes for the elderly and disabled

5

41

Orphanages and nurseries

2

56

Family consultation centres

1

16

Special centres of social education or rehabilitation

-

4

Other institutions

7

46

 

Geographical distribution in Türkiye and Lebanon

The following are present in Türkiye:

Of the Latins:

1 Metropolitan (Izmir)

2 Apostolic Vicariates (Istanbul, Anatolia)

Of the Chaldeans:

1 Archeparchy (Diarbekir)

Of the Armenians:

1 Archeparchy (Istanbul)

Of the Syriacs:

1 Patriarchal Exarchate (Türkiye)

Of the Byzantines

1 Patriarchal Exarchate (Istanbul)

 

The following are present in Lebanon:

Of the Latins:

1 Apostolic Vicariate (Bairut)

Of the Maronites:

1 Patriarchal Church (Antioch)

4 Archeparchies (Antélias, Bairut, Tripoli of Lebanon, Tyr)

6 Eparchies (Baalbek-Deir El-Ahmar, Batrum, Jbeil, Joubbé, Sarba and Jounieh, Saïdā, Zahleh)

Of the Greek-Melkites

2 Metropolitans (Bairut and Jbeil, Tyr)

5 Archeparchies (Baalbek, Bāniyās, Saïdā, Tripoli of Lebanon, Zahleh and Furzol)

Of the Syriacs:

1 Patriarchal Church (Antioch)

1 Eparchy (Bairut)

Of the Armenians

1 Patriarchal Church (Cilicia of the Armenians)

1 Metropolitan (Bairut)

Of the Chaldeans:

1 Eparchy (Bairut)

Today,  Tuesday 25 November 2025 , at  13.00 , at the Holy See Press Office, Via della Conciliazione 54, the Director Matteo Bruni will hold a  briefing to present the programme of the Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in Türkiye and in Lebanon  with the pilgrimage to İznik, Türkiye, on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, to take place from 27 November to 2 December 2025.

Remote participation

Journalists and media operators who wish to participate in the Briefing remotely must apply, no later than two hours before the beginning of the event, via the Holy See Press Office online accreditation system, at  https://press.vatican.va/accreditamenti , selecting the event:  Briefing Viaggio in Türkiye e in Libano .

During the request phase, select the option “Sì” in the box “Partecipazione da remoto”.

Journalists and media operators who are admitted will receive confirmation of participation via the online accreditation system and, at the same time, the link to access the virtual platform and to participate actively in the Briefing, with the possibility to ask questions.

Participation in person

Journalists and media operators who wish to participate in the Briefing in person must apply, no later than 24 hours before the beginning of the event, via the Holy See Press Office online accreditation system, at  https://press.vatican.va/accreditamenti , selecting the event:  Briefing Viaggio in Türkiye e in Libano .

Journalists and media operators who are admitted will receive confirmation of participation via the online accreditation system.

* . * . *

Journalists and media operators accredited for the Briefing are requested to arrive 30 minutes before the start time.