With the aim of reorganizing the Church hierarchy in Albania, Benedict XVI has appointed three new bishops for the dioceses of Sapë, Lezhë and Rrëshen. News of the episcopal nominations was given by the Vatican Press Room on 23 November. In particular for the diocese of Sapë, the Pope has appointed Msgr. Dodë Gjergji, hitherto apostolic administrator of the same diocese and general secretary of the Albanian Bishops’ Conference. To head the diocese of Lezhë, the Pope has called Father Ottavio Vitale, a Rogationist who comes from Grottaglie (Taranto); he has been diocesan administrator since 1998, and apostolic administrator of the same diocese since 2000. The new bishop of Rrëshen also comes from Apulia, this time from Bitonto (Bari): he is Father Cristoforo Calmieri, Lazarist, former vicar general of the same diocese and its apostolic administrator since February 2000. The two new bishops from Apulia thus come to join Bishop Angelo Massafra of Scutari, President of the Albaian Bishops’ Conference, he too of Apulian origin (Taranto). Albania has a population of over 3.5 million inhabitants, most of them (70%) Muslims. Catholics form over 16%. They are divided into six dioceses, an apostolic administration and some 130 parishes. Pastoral care is entrusted to six archbishops/bishops and 52 diocesan priests. There are over a hundred religious clergy.
