WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has named Auxiliary Bishop, Milan Lach, SJ,
currently Auxiliary Bishop of Prešov, Slovakia, as Apostolic Administrator of
the sede vacante (vacant see) of the Epharcy of Parma for the Ruthenians. 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, June 24, by Archbishop
Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Pope Francis relieved His Excellency William Skurla, Archbishop of the
Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Pittsburgh, from the pastoral governance of the
Eparchy of Parma.

Bishop Lach, 43, 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.

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.

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Keywords: bishop appointment, Pope Francis, Archbishop
Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio, Auxiliary Bishop Milan Lach, SJ, Eparchy
of Parma for the Ruthenians, Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, Ruthenian
Catholics, auxiliary, Slovakia, Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of
Pittsburgh.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Judy Keane
202-541-3200

Source:: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops