AN UPDATE to the d’ESTOUTEVILLE LINE (15 October 2023)

Since the prior update to the d’Estouteville line on 16 September 2023, one of its members has been called to the House of the Father. Versailles Bishop emeritus Jean-Charles Thomas died on 14 October 2023 at Machecoul, Loire Atlantique, France, at the age of 93. May he rest in peace.

With his death, the number of living members of the d’Estouteville line has decreased to thirty nine. They are listed below.

 Thomas Jessayan Netto, Archbishop of Trivandrum of the Latins

Maria Callist Soosa Packiam, Archbishop emeritus of Trivandrum of the Latins

Malayappan Chinnappa, S.D.B., Archbishop emeritus of Madras and Mylapore

Francis Kallarakal, Archbishop emeritus of Verapoly

Sebastian Thekethecheril, Bishop of Vijayapuram

Selvister Ponnumuthan, Bishop of Punalur

Amalraj Arulappan, Bishop of Ootacamund

Antonysamy Francis, Bishop of Kumbakonam

Nazarene Soosai, Bishop of Kottar

Christudas Rajappan, Titular Bishop of Avitta Bibba, Auxiliary of Trivandrum of the Latins

Paul Maipan, Bishop emeritus of Khammam

Singaroyan Sebastianappan, Bishop emeritus of Salem

Peter Remigius, Bishop emeritus of Kottar

Jerome Das Varuvel, S.D.B., Bishop emeritus of Kuzhithurai

Devadoss Ambrose Mariadoss, Bishop emeritus of Tanjore

Vincent Louis Marie Landel, S.C.J. de Beth., Archbishop emeritus of Rabat

Joseph Luechai Thatwisai, Bishop of Udon Thani, Thailand

Philip Banchong Chaiyara, C.Ss.R., Bishop of Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

 

 *Laurent Ulrich, Archbishop of Paris

*Antoine Henry Pierre Marie Hérouard, Archbishop of Dijon

*Armand Maillard, Archbishop emeritus of Bourges

*Hubert Barbier, Archbishop emeritus of Bourges

*Guy Thomazeau, Archbishop emeritus of Montpellier

*Bernard Aubertin, O.Cist., Archbishop emeritus of Tours

*Philippe Christory, Bishop of Chartres

*Michel Pansard, Bishop of Evry-Corbeil-Essonnes

*François Jacolin, M.D.P., Bishop of Luçon

*Jean-Paul Vuillemin, Bishop of Le Mans

*Roberto Fornaciari, O.S.B.Cam., Bishop of Tempio-Ampurias

*Jean-Marie Le Vert, Titular Bishop of Briançonnet and Auxiliary of Bordeaux

*Yves Boivineau, Bishop emeritus of Annecy

*Alain Planet, Bishop emeritus of Carcassonne et Narbonne

*Jean-Christophe Lagleize, Bishop emeritus of Metz

*Gilbert Louis, Bishop emeritus of Châlons

*Bernard Housset, Bishop emeritus of La Rochelle

*Gérard Coliche, Titular Bishop of Alet and former Auxiliary of Lille

*Alphonse Georger, Bishop emeritus of Oran

 

 **Raphaël Dabiré Kusiélé, Bishop of Diébougou

**Jean Baptiste Kpiéle Somé, Bishop emeritus of Diébougou

                     THE d’ESTOUTEVILLE LINE (update)

 I am pleased to announce that the d’Estoutville line has a new member as of 16 September 2023. Today Dom Roberto Fornaciari, O.S.B.Cam., was ordained Bishop of Tempio-Ampurias in Sardinia by Archbishop Bernard-Nicolas Aubertin, O.Cist., Archbishop emeritus of Tours, France. He is now the fortieth living member of this venerable line.

 His episcopal ordination took place in front of the Church of San Michele Arcangelo in Olbia, a port and airport town in the Diocese of Tempio-Ampurias. Archbishop Aubertin was assisted by the two principal co-ordaining bishops: Archbishop Gian Franco Saba, Metropolitan Archbishop of Sassari, and Bishop Sebastiano Sanguinetti, Bishop emeritus of Tempio-Ampurias.

 Among the other co-ordaining and concelebrating bishops were Arrigo Cardinal Miglio, Apostolic Administrator of Iglesias, sede vacante, and Bishop Mario del Valle Moronta Rodríguez, Bishop of San Cristóbal de Venezuela.

 The other members of the d’Estouteville line can be found in the post of 13 July 2023. 

                        Roman rite bishops belonging to the Maronite line

 (updated 29 July 2023)

 

The number of Roman rite bishops belonging to the Maronite line has increased by one with the recent ordination of an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Calabar, Nigeria. Their number has increased to thirteen: four in Nigeria and nine in the Caribbean. They are:

 in Nigeria:

 Archbishop Joseph Effiong Ekuwem of Calabar

Archbishop Lucius Iewjuru Ugorji of Owerri

Bishop Donatus Edet Akpan of Ogoja

Auxiliary Bishop Christopher Naseri-Mutiti Naseri of Calabar

 in the Caribbean:

Kelvin Edward Cardinal Felix, Archbishop emeritus of Castries

Archbishop Edward Joseph Gilbert, C.Ss.R., emeritus of Port of Spain

Archbishop Joseph Everard Harris, C.S.Sp., emeritus of Port of Spain

Archbishop Patrick Christopher Punder of Nassau

Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon of Port of Spain

Archbishop Gabriel Malzaire of Castries

Bishop Francis Dean Alleyne, O.S.B., of Georgetown

Bishop Robert Anthony Llanos of Saint John’s-Basseterre

Bishop Gerard Maximin County, C.S.Sp., of Kingstown

  The Five Living Fathers of the Second Vatican Council

On 16 July 2023 Bishop Luigi Bettazzi, emeritus of Ivrea, died in Albiano d’Ivrea. He had attended sessions two, three, and four of the Second Vatican Council (1962 – 1965). May he rest in peace.

 The five living Council Fathers are:

.Archbishop Victorinus Youn Kong-hi, emeritus of Kwangju, South Korea. He attended sessions two, three, and four.

 Bishop José de Jesús Sahagún de la Parra, emeritus of Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico. He attended sessions one, two, and four.

 Archbishop Alphonse Mathias, emeritus of Bangalore, India, who attended sessions three and four.

Francis Cardinal Arinze, former Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship & the Discipline of the Sacraments, who attended session four.

Bishop Daniel Alphonse Omer Verstraete, O.M.I., emeritus of Klerksdorp, South Africa. He attended session four. 

                                         A Distinction for the de Bovet line 

Since my previous post regarding the de Bovet line, one member has resigned as ordinary of his diocese and another will be created a cardinal in the consistory of 30 September 2023.

 Here are the seven living members of this line:

 Bishop Sebastian Francis of Penang, to be created a cardinal on 30 September 2023.

Archbishop emeritus Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam of Kuala Lumpur

Bishop emeritus Antony Selvanayagam of Penang

Bishop emeritus Petrus Boddeng Timang of Banjarmasin

Bishop John Baptist Tseng Chien-tsi, titular bishop of Sululos and former Auxiliary Bishop of Hwalien

Bishop Paul He Zeqing of Wanxian*

Bishop Peter Luo Xuegang of Yibin*

 

*These two bishops, although recognized by the Holy See, are not yet listed in the Annuario Pontificio. 

                                THE d’ESTOUTEVILLE LINE (13 July 2023)

While there have been no changes (new or deceased bishops) to the d'Estouteville line since my previous post on this subject, several of the bishops have resigned from the pastoral care of their dioceses. 

The list below reflects these changes. There are still thirty nine members of this ancient line. 

Thomas Jessayan Netto, Archbishop of Trivandrum of the Latins

Maria Callist Soosa Packiam, Archbishop emeritus of Trivandrum of the Latins

Malayappan Chinnappa, S.D.B., Archbishop emeritus of Madras and Mylapore

Francis Kallarakal, Archbishop emeritus of Verapoly

Sebastian Thekethecheril, Bishop of Vijayapuram

Selvister Ponnumuthan, Bishop of Punalur

Amalraj Arulappan, Bishop of Ootacamund

Antonysamy Francis, Bishop of Kumbakonam

Nazarene Soosai, Bishop of Kottar

Christudas Rajappan, Titular Bishop of Avitta Bibba, Auxiliary of Trivandrum of the Latins

Paul Maipan, Bishop emeritus of Khammam

Singaroyan Sebastianappan, Bishop emeritus of Salem

Peter Remigius, Bishop emeritus of Kottar

Jerome Das Varuvel, S.D.B., Bishop emeritus of Kuzhithurai

Devadoss Ambrose Mariadoss, Bishop emeritus of Tanjore

Vincent Louis Marie Landel, S.C.J. de Beth., Archbishop emeritus of Rabat

Joseph Luechai Thatwisai, Bishop of Udon Thani, Thailand

Philip Banchong Chaiyara, C.Ss.R., Bishop of Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

 

 *Laurent Ulrich, Archbishop of Paris

*Antoine Henry Pierre Marie Hérouard, Archbishop of Dijon

*Armand Maillard, Archbishop emeritus of Bourges

*Hubert Barbier, Archbishop emeritus of Bourges

*Guy Thomazeau, Archbishop emeritus of Montpellier

*Bernard Aubertin, O.Cist., Archbishop emeritus of Tours

*Philippe Christory, Bishop of Chartres

*Michel Pansard, Bishop of Evry-Corbeil-Essonnes

*François Jacolin, M.D.P., Bishop of Luçon

*Jean-Paul Vuillemin, Bishop of Le Mans

*Jean-Marie Le Vert, Titular Bishop of Briançonnet and Auxiliary of Bordeaux

*Yves Boivineau, Bishop emeritus of Annecy

*Alain Planet, Bishop emeritus of Carcassonne et Narbonne

*Jean-Christophe Lagleize, Bishop emeritus of Metz

*Gilbert Louis, Bishop emeritus of Châlons

*Bernard Housset, Bishop emeritus of La Rochelle

*Jean-Charles Thomas, Bishop emeritus of Versailles

*Gérard Coliche, Titular Bishop of Alet and former Auxiliary of Lille

*Alphonse Georger, Bishop emeritus of Oran

 

 **Raphaël Dabiré Kusiélé, Bishop of Diébougou

**Jean Baptiste Kpiéle Somé, Bishop emeritus of Diébougou

 

 The bishops with an * are the original d'Estouteville group plus additions to their number since the combination of other lineages.  The two bishops with ** are those who were previously known as the Ravizza line.

                       The EPISCOPAL ORDINATION of POPE GREGORY XIV

In September 2021, my friend and research colleague from Milan discovered the details of the ordinations of Ugo Boncompagni, the future Pope Gregory XIII, as subdeacon, deacon, priest, and bishop. Those ordinations were published on this site on 15 September 2021.

Recently he was reviewing documents in the Archivio di Stato di Milano, Atti notarili della Cancelleria arcivescovile and he came across a papal brief dated 8 April 1560 which authorized Niccolò Sfondrati, Bishop-elect of Cremona, to receive the four minor orders and the orders of subdeacon, deacon, and priest anywhere outside the city of Rome. The brief also authorized him to be ordained a bishop by one bishop, assisted by two or three other bishops.

In the same archives, at b. 22, fasc. 80, the details of Bishop-elect Sfondarti’s episcopal ordination were found:

On 19 May 1560, at Milan, in the Church of San Paolo Converso, Bishop Melchiorre Cribelli, Titular Bishop of Thagaste, assisted by Bishop Giulio Giovio, Bishop of Nocera, and Bishop Antonio Scarampi, Bishop of Nola, ordained Father Niccolò Sfondrati, as Bishop of Cremona.

Bishop Sfondrati was born at Somma, Archdiocese of Milano, on 11 February 1535. He was elected Bishop of Cremona on 13 March 1560 and he was created a cardinal in the consistory of 12 December 1583. Cardinal Sfondrati was elected Pope on 5 February 1590, taking the name Gregory XIV. He died at Rome on 16 October 1591.

                                          One less bishop in the de Bovet line

The de Bovet line has lost one living member with the death of Bishop James Chan Soon Cheong, Bishop emeritus of Melaka-Johor, on 22 April 2023. May he rest in peace.

Here are the seven living members of this line:

Archbishop emeritus Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam of Kuala Lumpur
Bishop Sebastian Francis of Penang
Bishop emeritus Antony Selvanayagam of Penang
Bishop John Baptist Tseng Chien-tsi. former Auxiliary Bishop of Hwalien (titular of Sululos)
Bishop Petrus Boddeng Timang of Banjarmasin
Bishop Paul He Zeqing of Wanxian*
Bishop Peter Luo Xuegang of Yibin*

*These two bishops, although recognized by the Holy See, are not yet listed in the Annuario Pontificio.