VATICAN CITY, MAY 25, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Archbishop Thomas Gullickson is leaving behind the warmth of the Caribbean for a decidedly different climate in Ukraine.
The 60-year-old South Dakota native was named Saturday the apostolic nuncio to Ukraine. He had been nuncio to various Antilles islands since 2004.
Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič had been the nuncio in Ukraine, but was moved to Russia in February.
Also on Saturday, Benedict XVI appointed Archpriest Mikaël Mouradian as bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Nareg in New York of the Armenians.
Bishop Mouradian had been the patriarchal vicar of the Institute for the Patriarchal Clergy of Bzommar, Lebanon, and superior of the convent of Notre Dame of Bzommar.
The Nareg Eparchy has some 36,000 Catholics served by 10 priests.
Mikaël Mouradian was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1961 and was ordained a priest in 1987. He succeeds Bishop Manuel Batakian, who retired for reasons of age.
The Armenian Church broke away from Rome after the Council of Chalcedon in 554, as did all the Eastern Catholic churches now referred to as «uniate.» After several attempts at reunification with Rome by members of the Armenian Orthodox Church over the centuries, Pope Benedict XIV ultimately announced the establishment of the Armenian Catholic Church in 1742.
Its patriarchate is located in Bzoummar, Lebanon, and its communities are found in Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Israel, Iran, Iraq, and Palestine, as well as in the global diaspora, particularly in the United States. There are an estimated 540,000 Catholic Armenians around the world.
Queenstown, Kalibo, Maputo
On Monday, Benedict XVI appointed Father Dabula Anthony Mpako, of the clergy of Pretoria, South Africa, as bishop of the Diocese of Queenstown, South Africa.
That diocese has some 52,000 Catholics out of a population of more than 2 million, served by less than two dozen priests and about that many religious.
Dabula Anthony Mpako was born in Eastern Cape, South Africa, in 1959 and ordained in 1986.
And today, the Pope appointed Bishop Jose Corazon Tala-oc of Tomblon as bishop of Kalibo, Philippines.
The 525,000 Catholics of that diocese are served by about 65 priests and 50 religious.
As well, Father João Carlos Hatoa Nunes was appointed auxiliary bishop of Maputo, Mozambique.
That archdiocese has more than 1 million Catholics in a population of 4.3 million. They are served by just over 150 priests and some 400 religious.
João Carlos Hatoa Nunes was born in Beira, Mozambique, in 1968 and was ordained a priest in 1995.
