New Bishops!

Vatican City, Dec 6, 2007 / 12:22 pm (CNA).- Today the Vatican announced the appointment of two Ruthenian bishops in the United States: Bishop William Skurla and Msgr. Gerald Dino.

Ruthenian Catholics, under the Byzantine Eastern Rite, come from region of present-day Slovakia and Ukraine, and came into communion with Rome in 1646.

Bishop William C. Skurla of the eparchy of Van Nuys will shepherd the eparchy of Passaic. His new eparchy will consist of 21,808 Catholics and 81 priests. Eparchies are the rough equivalent of a diocese in the Roman rite.

Bishop Skurla was appointed as the third bishop of Van Nuys and will now succeed Bishop Andrew Pataki who recently resigned.

Msgr. Gerald N. Dino has been appointed as the head of the eparchy of Van Nuys. The current administrator of the eparchy of Passaic and pastor of the Church of St. George in Linden, New Jersey was born in 1940 in Binghamton, NY and was ordained in 1965. He will serve 2,862 Catholics and 24 priests.

And from another source:

THE RESIGNATION OF THE BISHOP OF THE EPARCHY OF PASSAIC OF THE RUTHENIANS (USA) AND APPOINTMENT OF A SUCCESSOR

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation of the pastoral governance of the Passaic Eparchy of the Ruthenians (USA), as presented by His Excellency, Andrew Pataki, in accordance with the can. 210 § § 1-2 CCEO.

The Pope has appointed as Bishop of Passaic of Ruthenians (USA), His Excellency William C. Skurla, the Bishop of Van Nuys of the Ruthenians.

VATICAN CITY, DEC 6, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop William C. Skurla of the eparchy of Van Nuys of the Ruthenians, U.S.A., as bishop of the eparchy of Passaic of the Ruthenians (Catholics 21,808, priests 81, permanent deacons 23, religious 32), U.S.A. He succeeds Bishop Andrew Pataki, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same eparchy the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with canon 210 para. 1 and 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

- Appointed Msgr. Gerald N. Dino, "protosyncellus" of the eparchy of Passaic of the Ruthenians, U.S.A., and pastor of the church of St. George at Linden, New Jersey, U.S.A., as bishop of the eparchy of Van Nuys of the Ruthenians (Catholics 2,863, priests 24, permanent deacons 8, religious 11), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Binghamton, U.S.A. in 1940 and ordained a priest in 1965.