WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has
appointed as Bishop of the Ruthenian Eparchy of Parma, the Most Reverend Milan
Lach, SJ, who up until now served as apostolic administrator of the Eparchy.

The Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of
Parma is the Catholic eparchy governing most Ruthenian Catholics in the
mid-western United States. It is headquartered in Parma, Ohio.

The appointment was publicized in
Washington, DC, June 1, 2018 by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio
to the United States.

Bishop Lach, 44, was born in
Kežmarok, Slovakia in 1973. In 1992, he was admitted to the Greek-catholic
seminary in Prešov and in 1995 entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus in
Trnava, Slovakia. He continued his studies at Trnava University and also
studied at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, where he obtained a
master’s degree from the Eastern Church Sciences and later, a doctorate degree.
In 2009, he began working at the Center of Spirituality East – West of Michal
Lacko in Košice, Slovakia.

He was ordained a deacon of the
Society of Jesus on November 11, 2000 and was ordained a priest on July 1,
2001. He was appointed auxiliary bishop of Prešov and titular bishop of
Ostracine on April 19, 2013. He was ordained as auxiliary bishop of Prešov and
titular bishop of Ostracine, June 1, 2013. On June 24, 2017, Pope Francis named Bishop
Lach as apostolic administrator of the sede
vacante (vacant see) of the Epharcy of Parma for the Ruthenians.

The Eparchy of Parma for the
Ruthenians was erected February 21, 1969. Currently, the Eparchy of Parma
encompasses the geographical area of Ohio (except the eastern border counties),
Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas,
Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Byzantine Catholics living in those
states are members of the local Church of Parma.

—

Keywords: Pope Francis, Archbishop
Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio, Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, Eparchy of Parma
for the Ruthenians, Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, Ruthenian Catholics.

###

Media Contact:

Judy Keane

202-541-3200

Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops