Itinalaga ng Kanyang Kabanalan Francisco ang ikalimang Filipinong Apostolic Nuncio.
Sa inilabas na anunsyo ng Vatican, hinirang ni Pope Francis si Monsignor Arnaldo Catalan bilang Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda.
Itinuring na makasaysayan ng Kanyang Kabunyian Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula ang pagkatalaga ni Msgr. Catalan bilang kinatawan ng Kanyang Kabanalan Francisco sa Rwanda.
“His Eminence Jose Cardinal F. Advincula, Archbishop of Manila, thanks the Holy Father for this gift and honor and considers the appointment of Archbishop-elect Catalan as historic being the first priest of the Archdiocese of Manila to become a Nuncio,” bahagi ng pahayag ng Arkidiyosesis.
Kasalukuyang naglilingkod ang pari bilang Chargé d’affaires of the diplomatic mission of the Holy See sa China (Taiwan) mula noong 2019.
Nagsimulang manilbihan sa Holy See Diplomatic Service si Msgr. Catalan noong July 2001 kung saan kabilang sa napaglingkuran ang Apostolic Nunciatures ng Zambia, Kuwait, Mexico, Honduras, Turkey, India, Argentina, Canada at Pilipinas.
Tiniyak ni Cardinal Advincula sa bagong Nuncio ng Rwanda ang buong pusong suporta sa misyon ng pagiging kinatawan ng Santo Papa.
“In the name of the clergy, religious men and women, and the laity of the Archdiocese and assures him of their support and prayers as he takes on this new mission,” ani ng Cardinal.
Si Archbishop-elect Catalan ay naordinahang pari ng Archdiocese of Manila noong March 25, 1994.
Bukod kay Msgr. Catalan nanilbihan din si Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana bilang Apostolic Nuncio ng Israel at Cyprus at Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine; si Archbishop Francisco Padilla ang kinatawan ni Pope Francis sa Guatemala; Archbishop Bernardito Auza sa Spain at Andorra; habang Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus to Korea naman si Archbishop Osvaldo Padilla.
