Resignations accepted and new bishops named in Mexico, India, and Italy

In Brief

New episcopal appointments in Mexico, India, and Italy mark ongoing pastoral leadership transitions confirmed by the Holy See.

More Context

• Bishops typically submit their resignation upon reaching age 75, allowing for orderly transfers of diocesan leadership.
• The apostolic exarchate for Grottaferrata serves the Italo-Byzantine Catholic community, reflecting the Church’s care for Eastern rites in Italy.
• Coadjutor bishops, like Miguel Ángel Espinoza Garza, are appointed to assist and succeed current ordinaries smoothly.

The Holy See has officially recognized a set of episcopal changes that take effect in Mexico, India, and Italy, underscoring the Church's commitment to stable pastoral leadership. On January 31, 2026, the resignations of Bishop Miguel Ángel Alba Díaz of La Paz en la Baja California Sur, Mexico, and Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo of Udupi, India, were accepted, as announced through the Holy See Press Office.

Bishop Miguel Ángel Alba Díaz was succeeded by Bishop Miguel Ángel Espinoza Garza, who previously served as coadjutor bishop in the same diocese. The appointment of a coadjutor bishop in advance facilitates a smooth transition in leadership, maintaining pastoral continuity. In Udupi, the newly appointed bishop is Reverend Leslie Clifford D’Souza, formerly a parish priest of Our Lady of Health in Udupi, stepping into the role vacated by Bishop Lobo.

Additionally, the Holy See appointed Manuel Nin Güell, OSB, as apostolic exarch of the territorial abbey of Saint Mary of Grottaferrata, Italy. He has been transferred from his previous role as apostolic exarch for Byzantine Catholics in Greece. This position signifies the care of the Italo-Byzantine Catholic community within the broader Italian Church structure.

Each of these appointments reflects the Holy See’s ongoing attention to episcopal ministry and the pastoral needs of local Churches. These changes, announced through official channels, highlight the Church’s focus on orderly and prayerful leadership transitions. They remind the faithful of the Church’s unity amid cultural and geographic diversity, sustained by shepherds called to serve with fidelity. The lives and labors of these new shepherds will quietly yet profoundly shape the spiritual life of their communities in the years ahead.

Sources

• Holy See Press OfficeOfficial announcement of the acceptance of resignations and new episcopal appointments.Holy See Press Office
• Resignations and ApointmentsAdditional information on later episcopal appointments offers broader context on Church leadership transitions.Press Vatican
• Resignations and AppointmentsShows earlier 2026 episcopal changes to understand the pattern of leadership shifts occurring this year.Press Vatican
• Resignations and AppointmentsAdditional context identified by Exa: Summary: - The Vatican press office release titled “Resignations and Appointments” (01.05.2026) reports several ecclesiastical changes. - Key items: - Appointment: Archbishop.Press Vatican