New Apostolic administrator in Bischkek.

On July 18th Nikolaus Messmer SJ, Bishop of Bischek (Kyrgyzstan) died shortly before a surgical intervention, 61 years old. He had two brothers in the Society of Jesus, Otto, who was regional superior of the Russian regio and killed by a robber in 2008, and Hieronymus (member of the German province).

Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Janez Mihelčič, a Slovenian Jesuit, belonging to the Japanese province, as new Apostolic Administrator. He was superior of Bischkek.

Fr. Mihelčič was born in 1942 in Radovljica (Slovenia), where his father was organist. He was sent in 1963 by Mr. Archbishop Pogacnik to study in Rome, where he lived in the Collegium Germanicum and Hungaricum, founded by St.Ignatius and run by the Jesuits. There he met the Jesuit spirituality, and applied to join the Jesuits. After finishing the philosophy in 1966 he went to the novitiate in Ireland (to learn English at the same time), and was sent to Japan. In 1997 he went to Moscow, and a year and a half later to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), where he was teaching Japanese at the University .