VATICAN CITY, JUNE 13, 2011 (Zenit.org).- The 2.4 million Catholics of Chicago have two more auxiliary bishops to assist Cardinal Francis George, the archbishop — and neither are native Americans.
Father Andrew Wypych, 56, and Father Alberto Rojas, 46, were appointed auxiliaries today.
Andrew Wypych was born in Kazimierza, Poland, in 1954 and ordained a priest in 1979.
Alberto Rojas was born in El Zapote de la Labor, Mexico, in 1965 and ordained a priest in 1997.
The Archdiocese of Chicago has six auxiliary bishops, serving some 1,600 priests and more than 3,000 religious.
Japan
Also today Benedict XVI named the secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan as the bishop of Hiroshima.
Bishop-designate Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda, 62, succeeds Bishop Joseph Atsumi Misue, 75, who retired for reasons of age.
There are some 20,000 Catholics in a population of 7.6 million in the Diocese of Hiroshima. They are served by some 70 priests and 200 religious.
Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda was ordained a priest of Nagasaki in 1975.
Canada
On Friday, Benedict XVI erected the Chaldean eparchy of Canada with the name of Mar Addai of Toronto of the Chaldeans. He appointed Archbishop Hanna Zora, 72, of Ahwaz of the Chaldeans, Iran, as first bishop of the new eparchy.
Eparchy is the Eastern Catholic term for a diocese.
The eparchy has 38,000 Catholics served by four priests.
The Catholic Chaldean Church originated in Edessa (in modern-day Turkey) with the Apostle Thomas. Today its patriarchate is located in Baghdad, Iraq, headed by Patriarch Emannuel III Delly, and its members number approximately 419,000.
Nigeria
Benedict XVI appointed the vicar-general of the Archdiocese of Kaduna, Nigeria, as bishop of Sokoto.
Bishop-elect Matthew Hassan Kukah, 58, succeeds Bishop Kevin Aje, 77, who resigned for reasons of age.
Sokoto has some 44,000 Catholics in a population of more than 14 million. The country is 50% Muslim and 40% Christian, with 10% professing indigenous beliefs.
The Diocese of Sokoto is served by some three dozen priests and about as many religious.
Matthew Hassan Kukah was born in 1952 in Kulu, Zango, Nigeria, and was ordained a priest in 1976.
Solomon Islands
On Thursday, Benedict XVI appointed Auxiliary Bishop John Doaninoel, 61, of the Archdiocese of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Honiara, Solomon Islands.
That archdiocese has some 53,000 Catholics served by about 40 priests and about 100 religious.
