What a great joy to learn today (December 15) of the appointment by Pope Francis of Jean Pierre Cottanceau sscc as Archbishop of Papeete.
Jean Pierre was born in France in 1953 and ordained in 1980. Greatly devoted to the Scriptures, he studied in Strasbourg and Jerusalem. Since 1998 Jean Pierre worked in French Polynesia. As superior of his religious community, he was responsible for initial formation and was professor of Scriptures at the Major Seminary in Tahiti, besides being university chaplain and parish priest.
In 2007, he became Vicar Vice Provincial. From 2010 to 2015, he was a formator in Manila (Philippines).
The diocese had been vacant since 2011 after the resignation of 80-year-old Archbishop Hubert Coppenrath, a native of Papeete, where in 1999, he had succeeded his own brother, Michel Coppenrath. On August 28, 2015, Jean Pierre was appointed apostolic administrator.
French Polynesia is divided into two dioceses: the archdiocese of Papeete and the diocese of Taiohae-Marquesas. Lying on 2675 square km 2, (1033 miles sq.), Papeete is considered to be one of the larger dioceses in the world. There are about 100,000 Catholics out of a total population of 260,000.
The bishop of the other diocese, Marquises, is our brother Pascal Chang Soi sscc.
Blessings on Jean Pierre with our prayer for the Church of Tahiti!
12/15/2016