Pope Francis names Filipino priest as auxiliary bishop in Australia

MANILA – A Filipino missionary priest has been appointed as one of two new auxiliary bishops in Australia.

According to an article posted on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) News, Pope Francis appointed 55-year-old Fr. Rene Ramirez as bishop for the Archdiocese of Melbourne on Friday.

He has been serving as the parish priest of St. Mel and St. Malachy in Shepparton, under the diocese of Sandhurst.

Born in Gapan City, Ramirez entered the religious institute of the Rogationist Fathers of the Heart of Jesus after his primary and secondary studies.

He pursued his philosophical studies at Adamson University in Manila, earning a bachelor's degree. He also obtained a master's degree in educational management from De La Salle University in 2003, as well as a licentiate in spirituality from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

He was ordained a priest on June 26, 1998.

While in the Philippines, Ramirez held several key roles, including administrator, treasurer, and vice rector of the seminary of the Rogationist Fathers in Cavite.

He served as superior of the St. Hannibal Rogate Center in Parañaque City from 2009 until his assignment in Australia in 2015.

In Melbourne, he served as parish priest of the Holy Family in Maidstone-Braybrook from 2015 to 2023, before being assigned to the parish of St. Mel and St. Malachy.

Meanwhile, the Holy Father also named Fr. Thinh Nguyen as auxiliary bishop of the Melbourne archdiocese.

He is a priest of Melbourne and coordinator of the Office for Life and Ministry of the Clergy.

Both bishops will assist Archbishop Peter Comensoli.

They will join Bishop Martin Ashe and Bishop Tony Ireland in leading the four regions of the archdiocese that has 1.2 million Catholics.

The bishops-elect will be ordained to the episcopate at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne on Feb. 1, 2025. (PNA)