Rome, 6 October 2025 — The Vatican Press Office has announced the appointment of Rev. Fr. Frédéric Pierre Rossignol, C.S.Sp., of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), as the new bishop of the Diocese of Tournai in Belgium.
Born on 5 January 1974 in Berchem Sainte Agathe, Belgium, Fr. Frédéric made his religious profession on 8 September 2001 and was ordained a priest on 11 December 2005. His missionary journey has been marked by a deep commitment to intercultural service, formation, and pastoral care across continents.
At the time of his appointment, Bishop-elect Rossignol was serving as Spiritual Director at the Pontifical Missionary College of St. Paul the Apostle (Collegio San Paolo) in Rome. The college hosts over 150 priests from mission territories entrusted to the Dicastery for the Evangelization of Peoples, offering specialized studies in theology, missiology, canon law, and church history.
Fr. Frédéric’s academic formation includes a Baccalaureate in Theology from the Catholic University of Porto (Portugal), a Master’s degree in Criminology, and a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the Catholic University of Louvain. He also completed preparatory studies at the major seminary of Malines-Brussels. His complementary training includes a diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and a formation program for trainers at Emmaus, Catholic University of Manila.
His missionary experience is rich and varied. Just before he entered the Congregation, he had a year of voluntary work in China with the Missions Etrangères de Paris. In 2007 he was sent on Mission to Vietnam where he undertook language studies and pastoral work in both Vietnamese and French. He later served as Superior of the philosophy house (Postulancy) in Vietnam from 2010 to 2016, followed by a term as Novice Master for the Vietnam-India Circumscription. From 2021 to 2023, he was Major Superior of the same Circumscription, demonstrating leadership and intercultural sensitivity. He also spent a pastoral year in Bolivia and recently completed a sabbatical with the Focolare Movement in Tagaytay (Philippines) and Loppiano (Italy).
Fluent in French, English, and Portuguese, and conversant in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Italian, Bishop-elect Rossignol embodies the Spiritan charism of global mission and intercultural fraternity.
The Superior General, Fr. Alain Mayama, C.S.Sp., together with his Council and the entire Generalate community, express heartfelt gratitude to Fr. Frédéric for his generous service to the Congregation. They assure him of their prayers and support as he embraces this new pastoral responsibility in the Diocese of Tournai.
