Pope names new papal nuncio
Yesterday Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, 65, was announced as the replacement for the outgoing Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto.
Pope Benedict XVI recently moved Archbishop Lazzaratto to Australia.
In the early 1990s the Italian-born Archbishop Leanza was beaten when protesters ransacked his papal nuncio residence during a coup in Haiti.
He was moved on to serve in Zambia and Malawi. At the time Zambia was coming to the end of 30 years of emergency rule and Malawi was struggling in the last days of a dictatorship of Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
Demonstrators toppled Banda’s corrupt government in 1993.
At the end of the 1990s Archbishop Leanza moved to Bosnia as the final assault of the religious-driven Balkans war was taking place in nearby Kosovo.
For the past five years he has been working in Bulgaria as it came to terms with accession to the EU.
Yesterday the Catholic communications’ office said a date has to be set for his arrival in Ireland but it would happen after he fulfilled his remaining obligations in Bulgaria.
Meanwhile, Pope Benedict XVI declared Monsignor Noël Treanor, 54, as the Bishop of Down and Connor.
Mgr Treanor also has lengthy diplomatic experience after serving for the past 17 years in Brussels as the secretary general of the Commission of Bishops’ Conferences for the EU.
“For more than 30 years Mgr Treanor has used his great qualities of heart and mind to serve the Church.
“He has worked in parishes, both north and south of the border in his native diocese of Clogher. All of this experience will be invaluable to him as he takes up the work the Holy Father is entrusting to him,” said Cardinal Sean Brady.
Mgr Treanor replaces Bishop Patrick Walsh, who is retiring after 25 years.
