OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 11, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father gave his assent to the following provisions made by the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Church in accordance with their canons:

- The erection of the archiepiscopal exarchate of Donets'k-Kharkiv, Ukraine, and the election of Fr. Stepan Meniok C.SS.R., superior of the monastery of St. Alfonso of Lviv, Ukraine, as exarch of the new exarchate. The exarch-elect was born in Nakonechne, Ukraine, in 1949 and ordained a priest in 1981.

- The election of Frs. Ihor Vozniak C.SS.R., master of novices for the Lviv province of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, and Hlib Lonchyn M.S.U., collaborator at the apostolic nunciature in Kiev, Ukraine, as auxiliaries of Lviv of the Ukrainians (area 10,995, population 1,783,400, Catholics 857,053, priests 285, permanent deacons 2, religious 495). Bishop-elect Vozniak was born in Lypytsi, Ukraine, in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1980. Bishop-elect Lonchyn was born in Steubenville, U.S.A., in 1954 and ordained a priest in 1977.

The Holy Father appointed Fr. James Fitzgerald of the clergy of Joliet in Illinois (area 10,920, population 1,494,978, Catholics 571,742, priests 285, permanent deacons 152, religious 889), U.S.A., pastor of the parish of St. Mary, as auxiliary of the same diocese. The bishop-elect was born in Chicago, U.S.A., in 1938 and ordained a priest in 1964.

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