The Holy Father has appointed Fr. Joseph Khawam, B.A., as apostolic exarch for Greek-Melkite faithful resident in Venezuela, assigning him the titular see of Apamea of Syria of the Greek-Melkites.
The Holy Father has appointed Fr. Joseph Khawam, B.A., as apostolic administrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the eparchy of Nuestra Señora del Paraíso en Mèxico Greco-Melkiti.
Fr. Joseph Khawam, B.A.
Fr. Joseph Khawam, B.A., was born in Aleppo, Syria, on 14 April 1968. He entered the Basilian Aleppine order of the Greek-Melkites in 1987; he then studied philosophy and theology in Rome, at the Pontifical Saint Anselm University; he gave his solemn vows on 5 August 1995 and on 16 December of the same year he was ordained a priest.
He subsequently held the role of rector of the minor seminary of his Order, pastor of Kib-Elias and rector of Notre-Dame-de-Zahle church. He was appointed secretary of the eparchial presbyteral council of Zahle and member of the eparchial committee for vocations. In 2007 he was appointed Superior of the Convent of the Most Holy Saviour in Sarba and, from 2011 until today, he was Superior of the Convent of Saint George in Bmakine, Souk El-Gharb. In the meantime, from 2011 to 2015, he served as assistant general of his Order. In addition to Arabic, he speaks French and Italian.
Appointment of auxiliary of Guayaquil, Ecuador
The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliary bishop of Guayaquil, Ecuador, the Reverend Fr. Antonio Crameri, S.S.C., parish priest of the San Agustín parish in Portoviejo, assigning him the titular see of Apollonia.
Msgr. Antonio Crameri, S.S.C.
Msgr. Antonio Crameri, S.S.C., was born in Locardo, Canton Ticino, Switzerland, on 4 January 1969. He entered the seminary of the Society of Priests of Saint Joseph Cottolengo in Turin, received priestly ordination on 8 June 1996, and was incardinated in the aforementioned Society. He obtained a licentiate in pastoral theology of health care at the Camillianum International Institute for the Pastoral Theology of Health Care, Rome.
He held the following offices in Italy: collaborator at the rehabilitation community in Pinerolo in the La Verbena Community for the care of drug users; and substitute teacher at the Piccola Casa seminary in Turin. After arriving in Ecuador he became parish priest of Santa Marianita in the Mission of Esmeraldas, coordinator of catechesis, member of the presbyteral council and head of formation of permanent deacons (2002 to 2016). He is currently parish priest of the San Agustín parish in Flavio Alfaro and Novillo in the archdiocese of Portoviejo.
