OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 13, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Robert J. Baker of the clergy of Saint Augustine, U.S.A., as bishop of Charleston (area 80,401, population 3,699,000, Catholics 116,726, priests 128, permanent deacons 64, religious 224). U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in 1944 in Fastoria, U.S.A., ordained a priest in 1970 and since 1997 has been pastor of the parish of Christ the King, Jacksonville, U.S.A. He succeeds Bishop David B. Thompson whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Accepted the resignation presented by Bishop Vladislovas Michelevicius, auxiliary of Kaunas, Lithuania, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Cardinal Rosalio Jose Castillo Lara S.D.B., president emeritus of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, as his special envoy to the Third Colombian National Eucharistic Congress which is to take place at Cali October 16-18 1999.

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