14 months after unexpected resignation, Argentine prelate named to new position

February 03, 2025

Pope Francis has named Bishop José María Baliña as auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Chascomús, Argentina.

The February 1 appointment came 14 months after the prelate’s unexpected resignation as bishop of a more prominent diocese. That resignation was the first in an unexpected series of resignations and appointments:

• In November 2023, Pope Francis appointed Bishop Baliña, an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires since 2015, as bishop of Mar del Plata, Argentina’s fifth-largest city. Bishop Baliña resigned a month later, citing retinal operations.
• In December 2023, Pope Francis appointed Auxiliary Bishop Gustavo Larrazabal, CMF of San Juan de Cuyo as the bishop of Mar del Plata. He, too, resigned a month later, and the Pontiff appointed Bishop Ernesto Giobando, SJ, another Buenos Aires auxiliary bishop, as apostolic administrator.
• In May 2024, Archbishop Gabriel Antonio Mestre—who was bishop of Mar del Plata from 2017 to July 2023—resigned from his new position as archbishop of La Plata (Argentina’s fourth-largest city) at the Pope’s request. Archbishop Mestre said that he had resigned “after confronting some different perceptions with what happened in the Diocese of Mar del Plata from November 2023 to the present.”
• In December 2024, the Pope appointed Bishop Giobando as bishop of Mar del Plata.

For all current news, visit our News home page.

There are no comments yet for this item.