OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 24, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Erected the diocese of Mamfe (area 10,500, population 337,000, Catholics 35,000, priests 8, religious 23), Cameroon, taking territory from the diocese of Buea, making it suffragan to the Metropolitan Church of Bamenda. Fr. Francis Teke Kysinge was appointed as first bishop of Mamfe. The bishop-elect was born in Muea, Cameroon, in 1938, was ordained a priest in 1966 and since 1975 has been spiritual director of the St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Major Seminary of Bambui.

- Appointed Bishop Miguel Pedro Mundo, auxiliary of the diocese of Jatai, as bishop of this diocese (area 62,698, population 380,000, Catholics 359,000, priests 27, religious 62), Brazil. He succeeds Bishop Benedito Domingos Coscia O.F.M., whose resignation from the pastoral care of this diocese was accepted by the Holy Father on having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Joaquin Pertinez Fernandez O.A.R., as bishop of Rio Branco (area 102,136, population 420,000, Catholics 353,000, priests 13, religious 84), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Monachil, Spain, in 1952, made his solemn profession in 1977, was ordained a priest in 1978, and since 1977 has been provincial delegate of the Augustinian Recollects for Central America, in Costa Rica.

- Appointed Msgr. Antonio Lino Silva Dinis as bishop of Itumbiara (area 21,871, population 262,928, Catholics 228,000, priests 22, religious 26), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Famalicao, Portugal, in 1943, was ordained a priest in 1966, and for a number of years has been rector of the St. Pius X diocesan seminary in Sete Lagoas, Brazil.

- Appointed Fr. Dieudonne Bogmis as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Douala (area 1,200, population 1,950,000, Catholics 478,816, priests 80, religious 157), Cameroon. The bishop-elect was born in Nyanon, Cameroon, in 1955, was ordained a priest in 1983, and since 1990 has been spiritual director and dean of theology at Douala's Major Seminary.

- Appointed Msgr. Americo Ciani and Fr. Jair Ferreira Pena as prelate auditors of the Roman Rota.

- Appointed Fr. Babel Balazs as coadjutor archbishop of the archdiocese of Kalocsa-Kecskemet (area 8,372; population 539,188; Catholics 399,805, priests 102, religious 68), Hungary. The archbishop-elect was born in Gyon, Hungary, in 1950, was ordained a priest in 1976, and is currently rector of the Diocesan Seminary of Vac.
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