So the question: How many active bishops were appointed to their current post before Pope John Paul II became Pope?
The answer is only
The ordinaries are: (Date of Appointment, Date of Birth, Age on 31 Oct 2012, Name, Title)
- 24 Mar 1944, 12 Oct 1906, 106.05*, Bishop Francis Hong Yong-ho of P’yong-yang, Korea (North)
(Originally named Vicar Apostolic, Elevated to Bishop on 10 Mar 1962) - 23 May 1966, 12 Apr 1919, 93.55, Archbishop Hovhannes Tcholakian of Istanbul (Armenian), Turkey
- 25 Jun 1973, 11 Dec 1936, 75.89, Archbishop Nikólaos Fóscolos of Athenai {Athens}, Greece
26 Nov 1973, 7 May 1937, 75.48, Bishop Nestorius Timanywa of Bukoba, Tanzania
Retired on 15 Jan 2013- 27 Jun 1974, 5 Dec 1936, 75.90, Bishop Franghískos Papamanólis, O.F.M. Cap. of Syros e Milos and Santorini {Thira}, Greece
- 5 Oct 1974, 24 Jun 1938, 74.35, Archbishop Felix Alaba Adeosin Job of Ibadan, Nigeria
(Originally named Bishop, Elevated to Archbishop on 26 Mar 1994) - 20 Nov 1975, 10 May 1942, 70.47, Bishop Gilbert Guillaume Marie-Jean Aubry of Saint-Denis-de-La Réunion
10 Apr 1976, 28 Apr 1933, 79.51, Archbishop Petero Mataca of Suva, Fiji, Pacific (Oceania)
Retired on 19 Dec 2012- 1 Feb 1977, 31 Oct 1938, 74.00, Bishop Howard James Hubbard of Albany, New York, USA
- 26 Feb 1977, 5 Aug 1937, 75.24, Archbishop Hieronymus Herculanus Bumbun, O.F.M. Cap. of Pontianak, Indonesia
26 Feb 1977, 13 Sep 1936, 76.13, Bishop George Punnakottil of Kothamangalam (Syro-Malabarese), India
Retired on 10 Jan 2013- 26 Feb 1977, 25 Sep 1940, 72.10, Bishop Jean-Claude Bouchard, O.M.I. of Pala, Chad
- 30 May 1977, 20 Mar 1937, 75.61, Bishop Anthony Lee Kok Hin of Miri, Malaysia
- 10 Nov 1977, 11 Sep 1929, 83.14, Bishop Sebastian Koto Khoarai, O.M.I. of Mohale’s Hoek, Lesotho
- 27 Feb 1978, 23 Sep 1939, 73.11, Bishop Armando Umberto Gianni, O.F.M. Cap. of Bouar, Central African Republic
- 27 Feb 1978, 5 Jul 1942, 70.32, Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth of Kisumu, Kenya
(Originally named Bishop, Elevated to Archbishop on 21 May 1990) - 28 Feb 1978, 15 Aug 1937, 75.21, Bishop Philip Sulumeti of Kakamega, Kenya
*Bishop Francis Hong Yong-ho was named by Pope Pius XII. Although he is still officially listed as "missing" it seems unlikely that he remains alive.
All of the remaining were named by Pope Paul VI.
You'll notice that many of them are at or near the retirement age. Before they do retire, let us take a moment to thank them for their many years of service!
Updated 7 Apr 2013
