OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 30, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Erected the ecclesiastical province of Patna, India, elevating the same episcopal see to the rank of metropolitan church, making the dioceses of Bettiah, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur and Purnea suffragan to it. Bishop Benedict John Osta, S.J., of the diocese of Patna was appointed as the first metropolitan archbishop of Patna. The archbishop-elect was born in Blasurahi, India, in 1931, was ordained a priest in 1963, and since March 1980 has been bishop of Patna.

- Erected the diocese of Yendi (area 25,000, population 450,000, Catholics 3,843, priests 12, religious 6), Ghana, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Tamale, making it suffragan to the same metropolitan church. He appointed Fr. Vincent Boi-Nai S.V.D., as first bishop of Yendi. The bishop-elect was born in Labadi, Ghana, in 1945, made his perpetual vows in 1977 and was ordained a priest the same year. Since 1998 he has been provincial of the Society of the Divine Word (Verbites).

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