Today’s appointments concern the Church in Latin America and France.
Valdir José de Castro
bishop of Campo Limpo (Brazil)
Born on February 14, 1961 in Santa Bárbara d’Oeste, diocese of Piracicaba, in the State of São Paulo, he completed his studies of philosophy at the Universidade de Caxias do Sul-rs (1981-1983) and those of theology at the Instituto Teológico de São Paulo-sp (1984-1987). He obtained a licentiate in Spirituality from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome (1992-1994) and attended the Journalism course at the Universidade de Caxias do Sul- rs (1996-2000). Later he specialized in Communication, obtaining a license from the Faculdade Cásper Líbero in São Paulo-sp (2001-2004) and a doctorate from the Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (2012-2016). He made his religious profession on 11 February 1981 in the Society of Saint Paul (Paolini) and received priestly ordination on 12 December 1987. Within the religious institute he held the following positions: novice master (1997-2001 ); general director of the apostolate of the Paulines in São Paulo-sp (2001-2006); provincial of the province of Argentina, Chile and Peru (2007-2011); provincial of the province of São Paulo (2012-2015). From 2015 to 2022 he was superior general of the Society of Saint Paul in Rome.
Jean-Marc Eychenne
bishop of Grenoble-Vienne (France)
Born on November 2, 1956 in Pamiers, in the diocese of the same name, he entered the Communauté Saint-Martin, and completed his studies in philosophy and theology in the seminary of Genoa, obtaining a baccalaureate from the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy. In the two-year period 1985-1986, he obtained a licentiate in Theology from the Université de Friborg (Switzerland). He was ordained a priest on 3 July 1982 for the archdiocese of Genoa, and in 1994 he was incardinated in the diocese of Orléans. After his ordination, he was novice master of the Communauté Saint-Martin (1982-1985); teacher at the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences in Genoa and trainer of seminarians at the Communauté Saint-Martin in Genoa (1986-1987); parish vicar of the diocese of Orléans (1987-1989); chaplain of the Cours Saint-Charles (1988-2000); pastor moderator (1989-1996); pastor dean (1996-2002); student chaplain (2000-2009); episcopal vicar (2002-2009); pastor (2003-2009); vicar general (2009-2014); responsible for training for ministries (2010-2014). On 17 December 2014 he was appointed bishop of Pamiers and received episcopal ordination on the following 15 February. Within the French Bishops’ Conference he was a member of the Permanent Council (2019-2022). He is a member of the Council for interreligious relations and new religious currents.
Alberto Arturo Figueroa Morales
bishop of Arecibo (Puerto Rico)
He was born on 9 August 1961 in Guaynabo, archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico. He entered the Order of the Capuchin friars and completed his studies in Philosophy at the Pontifical Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico in Ponce and those in Theology at the Pontifical University of Navarra (Spain). He subsequently obtained a licentiate in spiritual theology at the Pontifical Antonianum University in Rome (Italy). He was ordained a priest on June 2, 1990. In 2010 he was incardinated in the archdiocese of San Juan. He has held the following positions: parish priest of Santa Teresita in Ponce (1991-1993); parish priest of Santa Teresita and master of Franciscan novices (1995-2000); vice-provincial of San Juan ofm cap (2000-2008); episcopal vicar of Río Piedras (2009-2016); pastor of Luisa de Marillac in San Juan (2009-2019); vicar general and moderator of the archdiocesan curia of San Juan de Puerto Rico; member of the Presbyteral and Pastoral Council and member of the College of Consultors and Economic Committee (2016-2019). On 19 November 2019 he was appointed titular bishop of Felbes and auxiliary of the archdiocese of San Juan de Puerto Rico, receiving episcopal ordination on the following 27 December.