Appointments: New bishops for Tanzania, Ireland and Mexico

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis approved a series of episcopal appointments on Monday for Tanzania, Ireland and Mexico. 

Tanzania

The Holy Father appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Shinyanga, Tanzania, Msgr. Liberatus Sangu, Official of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. Bishop-elect Sangu, of the clergy of Sumbawanga, was born February 19, 1963 at Mwazye, Diocese of Sumbawanga. After his primary and secondary education in local schools, he studied philosophy at the Major Seminary of Our Lady of Angels Kibosho, in the Diocese of Moshi, and theology at the Major Inter-diocesan Seminary St. Charles Lwanga Segerea, in the Archdiocese of Dar-es-Salaam. He was ordained to the priesthood on July 9, 1994.

The Diocese of Shinyanga (1956), is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Mwanza. It has an area of 50,000 square kilometers and a population of 2,440,000 inhabitants, of whom 745,000 are Catholics. There are 28 parishes. There are 55 priests (41 diocesan and 14 religious), 14 religious brothers, 44 sisters and 20 seminarians. The Diocese of Shinyanga, has been vacant since 2012, following the death of the Ordinary, Msgr. Aloysius Balina.

Ireland

The Holy Father has appointed Father Alphonsus Cullinan bishop of the Diocese of Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Ireland. Fr. Cullinan was born in Lahinch, County Clare in 1959 and is a priest of the diocese of Limerick.  He attended the Salesians National School and the Crescent College Comprehensive (SJ) for his secondary education.  From 1978-1981 he attended Mary Immaculate College of Education Limerick and qualified as a primary teacher. Fr. Cullinan studied Theology at Saint Patrick’s College Maynooth from 1989-95 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1994.  He was as chaplain to the Regional Hospital in Limerick from 1996 until 2001.  He studied for his doctorate in moral theology in the Alfonsianum in Rome 2001-2004.  He was appointed chaplain to the Limerick Institute of Technology 2004-2011.   He was appointed Parish Priest of Rathkeale, County Limerick in 2011.

Bishop William Lee, Bishop Emeritus of Waterford and Lismore, retired on the grounds of ill-health on 1 October 2013.  The Diocese includes County Waterford, and part of Counties Tipperary and Cork.  There are 45 parishes, 85 Churches and a Catholic population of 152,107. 

Mexico

Finally, Pope Francis has appointed Francisco Eduardo Cervantes Merino Bishop of Orizaba (Mexico).  Bishop-elect Cervantes Merino, was born October 13, 1953, in Ocatán Merino Palafox, in the Federal District of Mexico City, was ordained priest on 24 March 1979 and was incardinated in the Diocese of Tuxpan.

He completed his ecclesiastical studies at the Seminary of Jalapa and earned a Licentiate in Pastoral Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He also obtained a Licentiate in Educational Psychology at the Scuola Normale Superiore of México.

He has held the following positions: assistant priest, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish, Professor of the diocesan seminary, Diocesan Coordinator of Youth Ministry and Member of the Council of Priests. He is currently Pastor of the Cathedral and Vicar for Pastoral Care.