Pope appoints new members to Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue

By Vatican News

Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples; and Michael Czerny, SJ, the Under-secretary of the Migrants and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, are among the new members of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.

The announcement of the appointments was made on Wednesday at the Vatican.
 

The Pontifical Council is the central office of the Church for the promotion of interreligious dialogue in accordance with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, in particular the declaration Nostra aetate.

It is responsible for promoting mutual understanding, respect, and collaboration between Catholics and followers of other religious traditions; encouraging the study of religions; and promoting the formation of persons dedicated to dialogue.

New members

Pope Francis also appointed Cardinals Dieudonné Nzapalainga, Archbishop of Bangui; Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun, Vicar Apostolic of Vientiane; Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, Archbishop Jakarta and Ordinary of the Military Ordinariate of Indonesia; and Jean-Claude Höllerich, Archbishop of Luxembourg, to the Council.

A number of Bishops, from all parts of the world, were also named as members of the Council on Wednesday: Lawrence Huculak, Archbishop of Winnipeg of the Ukrainians; Archbishop Felix Anthony Machado, Bishop of Vasai; George Frendo, Archbishop of Tiranë-Durrës; Mark Tin Win, Archbishop of Mandalay; Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille; Paul Yoshinao Otsuka, Bishop of Kyōto; Thomas Chung An-zu, Bishop of Kiayi; Raphy Manjaly, Bishop of Allahabad; Ambrogio Spreafico, Bishop of Frosinone-Veroli-Ferentino; Michael Joseph McKenna, Bishop of Bathurst; William Hanna Shomali, titular Bishop of Lidda; Denis Chidi Isizoh, titular Bishop of Legia; Patrick Joseph McKinney, Bishop of Nottingham; James Massa, titular Bishop of Bardstown; Paul Desfarges, Archbishop of Alger; and Joseph Đình Đúc Đao, Bishop of Xuân Lôc.

The current President for the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue is Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, who has held the post since 25 May 2019.