Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Ratnapura, Sri Lanka, presented by Bishop Cletus Chandrasiri Perera, O.S.B. Silv.
The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Peter Antony Wyman Croos, of the clergy of the diocese of Chilaw, until now diocesan director of lands and estates, and episcopal vicar for the religious of the deaneries of Chilaw and Puttalam, as bishop of the same diocese of Ratnapura, Sri Lanka.
Msgr. Peter Antony Wyman Croos was born on 8 November 1967 in Chilaw, in the diocese of the same name. He carried out his studies in philosophy and theology at the Our Lady of Lanka Major Seminary in Kandy.
He was ordained a priest on 16 September 2000, for the clergy of Chilaw.
After ordination, he first held the roles of parish vicar of Saint Anne’s Shrine, Talawila (2000-2002), parish priest of Saint Mary’s, Mampuri (2001-2009), director of the diocesan pastoral centre Saint Joseph Vaz (2009-2010), and parish priest of Saint Francis Xavier, Kattaikadu (2010-2011). He was awarded a licentiate in pastoral theology and in Christology from the Pontifical Theological Faculty of Southern Italy – San Tommaso d’Aquino Section in Capodimonte, Naples, at the same time holding the office of chaplain of the Sri Lankan community in Naples (2011-2014), and went on to serve as diocesan director of Caritas (2015-2019). Since 2019 he has held the office of diocesan director of lands and estates, and episcopal vicar for the religious of the deanery of the regions of Chilaw and Puttalam. (EG) (Agenzia Fides, 5/3/2024)