OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 17, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of New Ulm, U.S.A., presented by Bishop Raymond A. Lucker in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Valencia, Spain, presented by Auxiliary Bishop Rafael Sanus Abad, in accordance with Canons 411 and 402, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Fr. Esteban Escudero Torres, director of the institute of religious sciences in Valencia (area 13,060, population 2,415,000, Catholics 2,294,000, priests 1,516, religious 4,458), Spain, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese. The bishop-elect was born in Valencia in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1975.

- Appointed Msgr. Ivan Devcic, president of the theological institute of Rijeka-Senj (area 10,975, population 390,000, Catholics 290,000, priests 154, religious 277), Croatia, as archbishop of the same archdiocese. The archbishop-elect was born in Kranso Polje in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1975.

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