The appointment of Msgr. Catalan by Pope Francis was published by the Holy See Press office on Monday, January 31.
According to aciaafrica, Archbishop-elect Catalan, the first member of the Clergy of Philippines’ Manila Archdiocese to become an Apostolic Nuncio, has been serving as Chargé d’affaires at the Apostolic Nunciature in China since 2019.
Catalan, 55, the prelate was born in Manila on 18 September 1966 and was ordained a Priest in March 1994.
He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1st July 2001 and has, over the years, served in the Pontifical Representations in Zambia, Kuwait, Mexico, Honduras, Turkey, India, Argentina, Canada, the Philippines and China (Taipei).
The Apostolic Nunciature of Rwanda became vacant on 28th June 2021 after Pope Francis transferred Archbishop Andrzej Józwowicz, the native of Poland, to Iran.
Archbishop Józwowicz had represented the Holy Father in Rwanda since March 2017.
Established initially as Apostolic Delegation of Rwanda in 1963, it was elevated to the Apostolic Nunciature of Rwanda in 1964.
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