OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 28, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Msgr. Kevin J. Farrell of the clergy of Washington, U.S.A., vicar general for administration and pastor of the parish of the Annunciation, and Fr. Francisco Gonzalez Valer S.F., episcopal vicar for the pastoral care of Hispanic peoples in Washington, as auxiliaries of the archdiocese of Washington (area 5,447, population 2,419,324, Catholics 515,000, priests 1,092, permanent deacons 229, religious 1,737). Bishop-elect Farrell was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1947 and ordained a priest in 1978. Bishop-elect Gonzalez Valer was born in Arcos de Jalon, Spain, in 1939 and ordained a priest in 1964.

On Thursday, December 27, it was made public that he appointed Bishop Antonio Jose Lopez Castillo of Barinas, Venezuela, as archbishop of Calabozo (area 27,000, population 360,203, Catholics 283,500, priests 18, permanent deacons 3, religious 37), Venezuela. The archbishop-elect was born in San Rafael de Mara, Venezuela, in 1945, ordained a priest in 1970 and consecrated a bishop in 1988. He succeeds Archbishop Helimenas de Jesus Rojo Paredes C.I.M. whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

On Saturday, December 22, it was made public that he appointed Fr. Gilberto Gomez Gonzalez, rector of the major seminary of Abancay (area 12,950, population 317,000, Catholics 295,000, priests 44, religious 112), Peru, as auxiliary of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Albeos, Spain, in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1975.

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