Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, announced today that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has appointed Monsignor James P. Green as Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of South Africa and to Namibia and Apostolic Delegate to Botswana. Monsignor Green is a native of Northeast Philadelphia who graduated from Father Judge High School for Boys and Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.

Archbishop-elect Green has been in the service of the Holy See since 1987. He has had assignments in Papua New Guinea, Korea, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Spain, Scandinavia and Taiwan. Since 2003 he has been serving in the Secretariat of State of the Vatican.

Cardinal Rigali said, "It is a special joy for me that the Holy Father has appointed Monsignor Green as the Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of South Africa and to Namibia. I extend to Monsignor Green my prayerful best wishes and fraternal support for his new ministry at the service of the universal Church."

Archbishop-elect Green will be ordained to the Episcopacy on September 6, 2006 at Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State, will be the ordaining prelate and Cardinal Rigali will be a co-consecrator. After his Episcopal ordination, Archbishop-elect Green will return to Philadelphia for a Mass of Thanksgiving to be held in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul on September 29, 2006 at 4:00 p.m.

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