austraLasia #2034

General Councillor for Social Communications new Auxiliary of São Paulo

ROME: 23rd January 2008 -- Even the fact that the official announcement from the Vatican, released just a few minutes ago, came through on the eve of the Feast of St Francis de Sales, is significant.  Fr Tarcisio Scaramussa, General Councillor for Social Communications for the Congregation, has been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as Auxiliary Bishop of São Paulo, Brazil.
    Naturally, we congratulate Fr Tarcisio for this appointment - which has come as a complete shock to him, as could well be understood; it was the very last thing on his mind after successfully leading the Congregation through the first six years of a separate Communications sector.  Previously there had not been a Councillor dedicated entirely to communications; it had been always tied in with some other sector - most recently the Salesian Family.  GC26 will be looking at where all that goes into the future, but certainly the experience of the sector and the Department, over the last six years, is that there is more than enough (to put it mildly) to warrant its existence and a creative, energetic future in a world that now cannot operate without taking account of the communications culture which is found at every level of our existence.  While we congratulate Fr Tarcisio, we mourn our loss....all for the greater good of the Church and all that, but readers will permit the personal note of loss of a good friend and colleague, a 'quiet' but effective operator and leader who always has the good of the person at the basis of any decision.  There is no doubt, ultimately, understanding why one of the largest archdioceses in the world has chosen him!
    It is too early to know all the details of the appointment as yet.  The archdiocese has six regions and Fr Tarcisio will have one of those. Which one is as yet unknown.  He flies out to Brazil shortly to find all of that out.  Nor do we know, obviously, the date of episcopal ordination at this stage, but it could be expected to be around April.
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Title: australasia 2034
Subject and key words: Church, SDB General, Communications,Fr Tarcisio Scaramussa
Date (year): 2008
ID: 2000-2099|2034