Pope Francis has appointed American Archbishop Charles Balvo as his new papal envoy in Australia.
Archbishop Balvo, who is currently the Vatican's ambassador to the Czech Republic and has served in the Holy See's diplomatic service for more than 30 years, will be the next Apostolic Nuncio to Australia.
He previously served eight years as Nuncio to New Zealand and the Pacific and has also served in apostolic nunciatures in South America, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
On behalf of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Mark Coleridge on Monday night welcomed the appointment, saying Archbishop Balvo "comes to us at a complex and challenging time" in the Church and in Australia.
"But his combination of gifts and experience will equip him well for all that lies ahead," he said in a statement.
Archbishop Balvo succeeds Archbishop Adolfo Yllana, whom Pope Francis last year appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Cyprus, and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine.
The new Austrlian Nuncio was born in New York City and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of New York in 1976.
Australian Associated Press
