ASIA/INDONESIA - Bishop of Bandung appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI, on May 17, 2008, appointed Fr. Johannes Maria Trilaksyanta Pujasumarta, as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Semarang.
The bishop elect was born December 27, 1949 in Solo/Surakarta, in the Archdiocese of Semarang. Following elementary school, he entered the Minor Seminary of Mertoyudan, Magelang and later, Saint Paul Major Seminary in Yogyakarta, for studies in philosophy and theology. He was ordained a priest on June 25, 1977 for the Archdiocese of Semarang. He has since ministered as follows: 1977-1983: former in the Minor Seminary of Magelang; 1981-83: Head of the Liturgy Committee for the Archdiocese of Semarang; 1983-87: studies for a degree in Spiritual Theology at the Angelicum in Rome; 1987-88: parish vicar at the Parish in Ganjuran, Yogyakarta; 1988-89: parish vicar at Santa Maria Assunta Parish in Klaten; 1990-1997: Director of the Preparatory Year in Semarang; 1997-1998: Rector of St. Paul Major Seminary in Yogyakarta. In 1998, he became Vicar General of Semarang.
The Diocese of Bandung, suffragan of the Archdiocese of Yakarta, was established in 1961. It has an area of 24,449 km, a population of over 40 million, of whom 100,000 are Catholic. There are 23 parishes, 28 diocesan priests and 53 religious priests, 6 religious brothers, 159 religious women, and 37 major seminarians. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 19/5/2008; righe 18, parole 217)