KALAMAZOO, Michigan, APRIL 6, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Diocese of Kalamazoo, Michigan, is welcoming a Pittsburgh auxiliary bishop as its new pastor.
Benedict XVI appointed today 63-year-old Auxiliary Bishop Paul Bradley to lead the Michigan diocese. He is succeeding Bishop James Murray, who has retired upon having reached the age limit.
Paul Bradley was born in 1945 in Pennsylvania and was ordained for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1971. He was made an auxiliary bishop of that same diocese in 2004.
Kalamazoo has some 107,000 Catholics, served by 76 priests and 36 permanent deacons, as well as 245 religious. The southwest Michigan diocese was founded in 1971; Bishop Bradley will be its fourth prelate.
Africa and Asia
On Saturday, five bishop appointments for Africa and Asia were made public.
Father Silvio Siripong Charatsri was named the bishop of Chanthaburi, Thailand. That diocese has some 39,000 Catholics in a population of nearly 4.5 million. It is served by 112 priests and 215 religious.
Silvio Siripong Charatsri was born in Thailand in 1959 and ordained a priest in 1987. He succeeds Bishop Lawrence Thienchai Samanchit, who retired upon having reached the age limit.
Father James Wainaina Kungu was named the bishop of Muranga, Kenya, where he will minister to some 717,000 Catholics, 99 priests and 120 religious.
James Wainaina Kungu was born in Kenya in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1984.
Redemptorist Father Edmund Woga has been named the bishop of the Diocese of Weetebula, Indonesia, where he was already serving as the administrator. Weetebula has some 135,000 Catholics, served by 85 priests and 78 religious.
Edmund Woga was born in Indonesia in 1950 and ordained a priest in 1977.
Finally, Auxiliary Bishop Hyacinth Oroko Egbebo of Bomadi, Nigeria, was appointed the apostolic vicar of that same vicariate. The vicariate of Bomadi has some 22,000 Catholics served by 19 priests and seven religious.
