Bishop of Caroline Islands
Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - On November 18, 2017, the Holy Father appointed Rev. Julio Angkel, of the clergy of the Caroline Islands and currently pastor of the Holy Family Parish, director of the Vocations and Formation Office, and director of the St. John Vianney Formation House, as Coadjutor Bishop of the diocese of the Caroline Islands, in Micronesia. The new Bishop was born in the island of Parem, Chuuk State, in the Federated States of Micronesia. He studied at local Catholic schools and at the University of Guam, where he resided for his discernment. In 1976, he began his journey to priestly formation at the San Jose Seminary at the University of Manila in the Philippines. Subsequently he transferred to the Pacific Regional Seminary of Suva, Fiji. He was ordained a priest on 13 December 1983, as the second Chuukese priest in the history of the Diocese. He has carried out his pastoral ministry in most parishes in the Vicariate of Chuuk and has a good knowledge of the parishes in the vicariates of Pohnpei and Kosrae. Since ordination he has held the following offices: 1984-1986: service in the parish of Nomisofo, Vicariate of Chuuk; 1986-1990: service in the Assumption Parish, vicariate of Chuuk; 1990-1991: Sabbatical year at Berkeley Spirituality Center, California; 1992-2004: Parish priest in various parishes in the Vicariate of Chuuk; 2004-2005: training programme at the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila; 2005-2010: Director of the new Caroline Pastoral Institute (CPI) and of the diocesan college for Micronesia; 2010 – 2015: Episcopal Vicar of Pohnpei and Kosrae, with residence in Pohnpei; 2012-2013: Teacher and formator at the Pacific Regional Seminary in the Archdiocese of Suva, Fiji; 2012-2015: General Vicar; coordinator of the Commission for Justice and Development and of various pastoral programs of the Vicariate; since 2015: Pastor of the Holy Family Parish in Chuuk, Director of the vocational and training office; and director of the St. John Vianney Formation House.