OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 30 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Rev. Giancarlo Vecerrica bishop of Fabriano-Matelica (area 681, population 54,591, Catholics 53,641, priests 79, religious 126), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in 1940 in Tolentino, Italy, was ordained a priest in 1965 and until now was the secretary general of the curia of the diocese of Macerata-Tolentino-Recanati-Cingoli-Treia.

- Jean Daniel Pitteloud, lieutenant of the Pontifical Swiss Guards, with the grade as lieutenant colonel.

On Saturday, December 28, the Holy Father appointed Bishop Nicola De Angelis, C.F.I.C., till today auxiliary of Toronto, Canada, as bishop of Peterborough (area 25,890, population 391,501, Catholics 85,101, priests 92, religious 110, permanent deacons 13), Canada. He succeeds Bishop James Leonard Doyle, whose renunciation to the pastoral government was accepted, in conformity with canon 401, paragraph 2 of the C.C.L.

On Friday, December 27, it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. Jesus Tomas Zarraga Colmenares bishop of San Carlos de Venezuela (area 14,800, population 265,837, Catholics 255,303, priests 27, religious 38), Venezuela. The bishop-elect was born in 1957 in Azaro (Venezuela), was ordained a priest in 1985 and until now was the parish priest and director of the diocesan Secretariat of social communications and for the pastoral social. He succeeds Bishop Antonio Arellano Dur n, whose renunciation from the pastoral care of the same diocese was accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Rev. Isabelo Caiban Abarquez auxiliary bishop of Cebu (area 5,088, population 3,255,070, Catholics 2,815,836, priests 489, religious 1,459), Philippines. The bishop-elect was born in 1956 in Panlaan (Philippines), was ordained a priest in 1987 and until today was the rector of the "Saint Charles College Seminary" in the same archdiocese.

- Appointed Rev. Patricio Abella Buzon, S.D.B., bishop of Kabankalan (area 3,923, population 706,984, Catholics 636,286, priests 38, religious 27), Philippines. The bishop-elect was born in 1950 in San Nicol s (Philippines), his first profession was in 1967, was ordained a priest in 1976 and until now was the provincial superior of the Southern Salesian Province of the Philippines.

- Created the diocese of Acarigua-Araure (area 5,510, population 452,000, priests 16, religious 11), Venezuela, with a territory separate from the diocese of Guanare, having it depend upon the Metropolitan Church of Barquisimeto, and appointed Bishop Joaqu¡n Mor¢n Hidalgo, until now bishop of Valle de la Pascua (Venezuela), as the first bishop of Acarigua-Araure.

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