Pope Francis Appoints New Apostolic Vicar for Northern Arabia

January 28, 2023

Abu Dhabi.

Pope Francis has appointed Msgr. Aldo Berardi O.S.S.T, the present Vicar General of the Order of the Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives (the Trinitarian Order), as the new Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia. He succeeds the Late Bishop Camillo Ballin, MCCJ, who passed away on 12 April 2020.

H.E. Aldo Berardi O.S.S.T

The announcement was made today at 12 noon in Rome. Below is the official communique released by the Holy See Press Office:

Appointment of the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia

The Holy Father has appointed as Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, the Rev. Fr. Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., currently Vicar General of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Captives.

More:
Read about Msgr. Aldo Berardi O.S.S.T
Video Message of Bishop Paul Hinder announcing the appointment

Below is the text of the communique released by Bishop Paul Hinder, who has been serving as the Apostolic Administrator of Northern Arabia since the passing away of Bishop Ballin.

Communique from Bishop Paul Hinder

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, it gives me great joy to inform you that His Holiness Pope Francis, in view of the pastoral care of the Catholic faithful residing in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, has appointed Father Aldo BERARDI O.SS.T., currently Vicar General of the Order of the Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives (the Trinitarian Order), to succeed the late Bishop Camillo Ballin as the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia.

Bishop-elect Berardi is well known to me and to the many priests and faithful in the Vicariate as an outstanding religious and priest. Born in 1963 in Longeville-lès-Metz (France), he made his profession as a Trinitarian in 1987, and was ordained a priest in 1991. After further studies in Rome, he was active in pastoral and charitable spheres in Italy, France, and Egypt. From 2007 to 2019 he has worked in the Vicariate of Northern Arabia. From 2019 to 2023 he served the Trinitarian Order as Vicar General in Rome. On 28th January 2023, His Holiness Pope Francis appointed him the new Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia in succession to Bishop Camillo Ballin, MCCJ, who passed away on 12th April 2020.

I am sure that the Vicariate of Northern Arabia will further grow under his pastoral guidance. The Apostolic Vicar-Elect Aldo BERARDI will be ordained to the episcopate at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Awali (Bahrain). The date of his episcopal ordination and installation will be communicated shortly. Until the Bishop-elect is ordained and takes possession of the episcopal see, I shall continue my mandate as Apostolic Administrator.

We receive Msgr. Aldo BERARDI with love and shall support him in his task as pastor of the multifaceted migrant Church in the Gulf. We bid him a hearty welcome and pray for him as he prepares to begin his ministry as shepherd to the faithful of the Vicariate of Northern Arabia.

Abu Dhabi, 28th January 2023

Bishop Paul Hinder OFM Cap.
Apostolic Administrator.

Curriculum Vitae of Msgr. Aldo Berardi

His Excellency Msgr. Aldo BERARDI, O.SS.T.

was born in Longeville-lès-Metz (France) on 30th September 1963;
in 1979 he entered the Foyer-Séminaire in Montigny-lès-Metz. He attended George de la Tour High School in Metz;
from 1982 to 1984 he studied Philosophy at the Major Seminary of Villers-lès-Nancy;
from 1984 to 1986 he did his civil service in Madagascar. During this time he held the positions of French teacher, librarian and cultural officer;
on 8th October 1986 he entered the novitiate of the Trinitarian Fathers in Cerfoid (France). There he made his first religious profession on 4th October 1987;
from 1987 to 1990 he studied Theology at the Major Seminary of Montreal (Canada);
on 17th December 1990 he made his perpetual profession in Rome (Italy);
he was ordained a priest in Ars-sur-Moselle (France) on 20th July 1991;
from 1990 to 1992 he attended the Accademia Alfonsiana in Rome, where he obtained a Licentiate in Moral Theology in 1992. In the same period, he also served at Caritas Rome;
from 1992 to 1998, he served as director of a Spirituality Centre in Cerfoid (France). He has also held the positions of parochial vicar, school chaplain, chaplain of a psychiatric hospital, Boy Scout assistant and Catholic Action assistant;
from 2000 to 2006 he directed the Centre Sainte Bakhita in Cairo (Egypt), which sheltered Sudanese refugees;
from 2007 to 2010 he served in the Sacred Heart Parish in Manama (Bahrain);
from 2009 to 2012 he was Provincial Counsellor for his Congregation;
from 2011 to 2019 he returned to the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, serving as Parish Priest and Episcopal Vicar;
from 2019 to 2023 he was Vicar General of the Order of the Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives, President of the General Secretariat of Formation and Legal Representative of the Congregation’s Generalate;
on 28th January 2023 His Holiness Pope Francis appointed him the new Apostolic Vicar of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia in succession to Msgr. Camillo Ballin, MCCJ, who died on 12th April 2020.