OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 31, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Erected the apostolic vicariate of Rodrigues (area 102, population 35,779, Catholics 32,612, priests 4, religious 11), Mauritius, with territory taken from the diocese of Port-Luis, Mauritius. He appointed Fr. Allen Harel of the clergy of Port-Luis as its first apostolic vicar. The bishop-elect was born in 1950 in Quatre Bornes, Mauritius and was ordained a priest in 1978.

- Appointed Fr. Esteban Maria Laxague, S.D.B., inspector vicar and director of the College of Don Bosco in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, as bishop of Viedma (area 89,000, population 125,230, Catholics 100,250, priests 20, religious 47), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in 1957 in Coronel Pringles, Argentina and was ordained a priest in 1986.

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