OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 29, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Stanley Roman, of the clergy of the diocese of Quilon, India, rector of St. Joseph's Pontifical Seminary Carmelgiri, Alwaye, Verapoly, as bishop of Quilon (area 1,950, population 4,462,777, Catholics 277,869, priests 90, religious 609). The bishop-elect was born in Punalur in 1941, and ordained to the priesthood in 1966. He succeeds Bishop Joseph Gabriel Fernandez, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with the age limit.

On Saturday, October 27, it was made public that the Holy Father elevated the apostolic administration of Moldova to the level of diocese, immediately subject to the Holy See, with the denomination of Chisinau and the same territorial configuration as the current apostolic administration. He appointed Bishop Antonio Cosa, apostolic administrator, as first bishop of Chisinau (area 33,700, population 4,378,000, Catholics 20,000, priests 17, permanent deacons 1, religious 37), Moldova.

NER; RE; ECE;...;...;ROMAN; FERNANDEZ; COSA;VIS;20011029;Word: 150;