OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 4, 2000 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Rockville Centre, U.S.A., presented by Bishop John R. McGann upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop James T. McHugh.

- Appointed Fr. James Peter Sartain of the clergy of the diocese of Memphis, U.S.A., vicar general and pastor of the parish of Saint Louis, as bishop of Little Rock (area 137,600, population 2,509,791, Catholics 86,990, priests 161, permanent deacons 58, religious 478), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Memphis in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1978. He succeeds Bishop Andrew J. McDonald, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Jorge Eduardo Lozano, pastor of the parish "Nuestra Senora de la Anunciacion" in Buenos Aires (area 202, population 3,771,000, Catholics 3,455,000, priests 949, permanent deacons 3, religious 2,815), Argentina, as auxiliary bishop of the same archdiocese. The bishop-elect was born in Buenos Aires in 1955 and ordained a priest in 1982.

- Appointed Msgrs. Gianfranco Rota Graziosi and Luigi Cavalieri, officials at the Secretariat of State, as bureau chiefs for the Section for Relations with States.

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DECLARATION REGARDING EPISCOPAL ORDINATIONS IN BEIJING

VATICAN CITY, JAN 4, 2000 (VIS) - In reply to questions from journalists regarding the episcopal ordinations by the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association that have been announced in Beijing, Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls today made the following declaration:

"I must express the surprise and disappointment of the Holy See, because this decision has come at a time when, on all sides, voices are being heard that raise authentic hopes of a normalization in relations between the Holy See and Beijing. This gesture places obstacles that will undoubtedly hinder that process."

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