OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Fargo, U.S.A., of Bishop James Stephen Sullivan, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Bishop Samuel J. Aquila, coadjutor of the same diocese.

On Saturday March 16, it was made public that he:

- Appointed Bishop Andre Richard C.S.C., of Bathurst, Canada, as metropolitan archbishop of Moncton (area 12,000, population 185,000, Catholics 105,000, priests 80, religious 356), Canada. The bishop-elect was born in Saint-Ignace, Canada in 1937, ordained a priest in 1963 and consecrated bishop in 1989. He succeeds Archbishop Ernest Leger, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of San Jose de Antique, the Phillipines, presented by Bishop Raul Jose Q. Martirez, in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law. He is succeeded by Bishop Romulo T. de la Cruz, coadjutor of the same diocese.

- Appointed Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, as his special envoy to Ravenna for the celebration of the millennium anniversary of the departure of the monks, Sts. Benedict and John, for Eastern Europe where they spread the Gospel, bearing witness to their faith in Christ with their blood. The event, which is called "Ravenna in mission 1001-2001," will take place April 28, 2002.

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