Tuesday, October 31, 2017

New Chaldean Bishop of Toronto

This morning, the Holy Father, Pope Francis has appointed a new Eparchial Bishop for the Eparchy of Mar Addai of Toronto (Canada) for Chaldean Catholics in the person of His Excellency, Bawai Soro, who has now been transferred from the titular See of Foraziana.


His Excellency, Bawai Soro
Eparch of Mar Addai of Toronto

His Excellency, Bawai Soro was born on 3 March 1954 in Kirkuk (Iraq) and was baptized (with the name of Ashur Soro) in the Eastern Assyrian Church.  In 1973, his family left Iraq and, after some years spent in Lebanon, they moved to the United States of America in 1976.  He was ordained a priest on 21 February 1982 in Chicago (USA) and named Pastor of Saint Mary's parish in Toronto (Canada).

Elected as Bishop of the newly-formed Assyrian Eparchy for the Western United States, with the See in San José (California, USA), on 21 October 1984, he was consecrated a Bishop in Chicago (with the name of Bawai Soro).  From 1995-1999, he was Bishop of Seattle, before returning to the See of San José in 1999.  His Excellency was one of the most convincing promoter of dialogue between the Assyrian Church and the Catholic Church.  He studied at the Catholic University of America (Washington), obtaining the degree of Master of Theology in 1992; and at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome, where he earned a Doctorate in Sacred Theology in 2002.

In June 2013, the Synod of Chaldean Bishops welcomed His Excellency as one of their members and on 11 January 2014, the Holy Father, Pope Francis assigned him to the Titular See of Foraziana.  He served as Eparchial Protosincello (Assistant to the Eparch) of Saint Peter the Apostle of San Diego for Chaldeans (USA) until the appointment of that See's current Bishop - His Excellency, Emmanuel Hanna Shaleta - on 1 August 2017.

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