Pope Appoints Cardinal Oswald Gracias as Special Envoy to FABC Assembly

Vatican City, May 23, 2026: Pope Leo XIV has appointed Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop Emeritus of Bombay, as his Special Envoy to the 12th Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), scheduled to take place in Jakarta from 20 to 26 July 2026.

The appointment was announced by the Holy See as part of a series of ecclesiastical decisions released by the Vatican Press Office.

The plenary assembly will bring together bishops from across Asia to discuss matters concerning the Church and its mission in the region. As Special Envoy, Cardinal Gracias will represent the Holy Father at the gathering.

In the same announcement, Pope Leo XIV also accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the Diocese of Locri-Gerace in Italy submitted by Bishop Francesco Oliva. He subsequently appointed Bishop Cesare Di Pietro as the new Bishop of Locri-Gerace.

Bishop Di Pietro, originally from Messina, has held several important pastoral and academic positions within the Church. He previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela and has undertaken responsibilities in liturgical and ecumenical work within the Italian Episcopal Conference.

The Vatican announcement highlights the Pope’s continuing efforts to strengthen Church leadership and representation at both local and international levels.

By Catholic Connect Reporter

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