BRISBANE Catholic, Jose Zepeda has accepted a Vatican appointment related to the pastoral care of migrants and refugees.
Pope John Paul II has nominated Mr Zepeda for a five-year term as a consultor of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.
The Pope announced the appointment on August 9.
Mr Zepeda, who is director of Brisbane archdiocese’s Centre for Multicultural Pastoral Care (CMPC), is overseas until the end of September and could not be contacted for a comment on his appointment.
CMPC assistant director Mary Gavin said Mr Zepeda’s appointment was a great honour and one that was well deserved.
Ms Gavin said the appointment was recognition of Mr Zepeda’s hard work in this area of ministry over many years.
Queensland Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier (Multicultural Affairs) and Minister for Trade, Karen Struthers congratulated Mr Zepeda on his appointment.
Mr Zepeda, a refugee from El Salvador in the early 1980s, has been working in Brisbane archdiocese in multiculturalism and pastoral care for almost 20 years and has been CMPC director since its inception 10 years ago.
