BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Jan. 26, 2017–In an announcement issued today, the Vatican said that Fr. Lawrence Sydney Nicasio, a Garifuna priest, has been appointed as Bishop of Belize City-Belmopan, to succeed Bishop Dorick McGowan Wright, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese had been accepted by the Pope.

Nicasio, 60, the pastor at Holy Redeemer Cathedral in Belize City, was ordained on June 16, 1989.

Information published by the Roman Catholics indicates that Nicasio obtained a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Glennon Seminary in St. Louis, United States of America, and a Master of Divinity in the Kenrich College Seminary, in the same archdiocese.

As for his appointments in Belize, he has served in Belmopan, Orange Walk, San Ignacio and Belize City.