OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 7, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:
- Appointed Bishop Gabriel V. Reyes of Kalibo, the Philippines, as bishop of the diocese of Antipolo (area 1,859, population 3,035,046, Catholics 2,579,789, priests 124, religious 676), the Philippines. He succeeds Bishop Crisostomo A. Yalung whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese was accepted by the Pope in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Erected the diocese of Novaliches (area 137.74, population 1,658,872, Catholics 142,984, priests 121), the Philippines, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Manila, making it a suffragan of the same Metropolitan Church.

- Appointed Bishop Teodoro C. Bacani, auxiliary of Manila, the Philippines, as first bishop of the diocese of Novaliches, the Philippines.

- Erected the diocese of Paranaque (area 126.50, population 1,381,000, Catholics 1,269,122, priests 133), the Philippines, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Manila, making it a suffragan of the same Metropolitan Church.

- Appointed Bishop Jesse E. Mercado, auxiliary of Manila, as first bishop of the diocese of Paranaque, the Philippines.

- Appointed Bishop Peter Erdo, auxiliary of Szekesfehervar, Hungary, as archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest (area 1,543, population 2,094,000, Catholics 1,258,000, priests 359, permanent deacons 15, religious 978), Hungary. He succeeds Cardinal Laszlo Paskai, O.F.M., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese was accepted by the Pope, upon having reached the age limit.

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