OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 13, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Hugo Barrantes Urena of Puntarenas, Costa Rica, as metropolitan archbishop of San Jose de Costa Rica (area 3,758, population 2,761,910, Catholics 2,347,623, priests 376, religious 721), Costa Rica. He succeeds Archbishop Roman Arrieta Villalobos whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Vittorino Girardi, M.C.C.I., professor at the Catholic University of Costa Rica, as bishop of Tilaran (area 11,736, population 347,000, Catholics 338,000, priests 57, religious 44), Costa Rica. The bishop-elect was born in 1938 in Lendinaria, Italy and was ordained a priest in 1963. He succeeds Bishop Hector Morera Vega whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of San Jose de Costa Rica, Costa Rica, presented by Bishop Antonio Troyo Calderon upon having reached the age limit.

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TELEGRAM FOR VICTIMS OF TYPHOONS IN PHILLIPINES

VATICAN CITY, JUL 15, 2002 (VIS) - John Paul II sent a telegram, through Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of State, to Cardinal Jaime L. Sin, archbishop of Manilla, Phillipines, to express his closeness to the victims of the typhoons that have hit the islands.

"Deeply concerned," says the text, "by news of death and damage caused by typhoons and bad weather in the Phillipines, especially Manilla and Luzon, the Holy Father is close to you in prayer, commending the victims to Almighty God and invoking divine strength and comfort upon their grieving families all affected by this tragedy. He joins you in appealing for a great surge of solidarity at this difficult time for the nation."

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ANGELUS: SPIRITUAL CLOSENESS TO THE SICK AND IMPRISONED

VATICAN CITY, JUL 14, 2002 (VIS) - At midday today, the Holy Father addressed pilgrims gathered in the courtyard of the apostolic palace in Castelgandolfo to pray the Angelus.

John Paul II wished all those who are on vacation "a serene and beneficial rest for the body and the spirit" and he remembered especially those who do not have the possibility to take a vacation.

"I am thinking especially about those who are in jail or in the hospital, or those who are alone at home. I want to assure them of my spiritual closeness, while I hope that they do not lack necessary help provided by friends. In addition, I express my appreciation for those, who with authentic human and Christian spirit, dedicate themselves to helping people in need, the sick and those who find themselves in difficulty."

The Pope recalled that today is the memorial liturgy of St. Camillo of Lellis, patron of the sick and their care-takers. He "consecrated himself totally to God", he said, and "founded a new order: Ministers of the Sick, later called 'Camilians.' They wear a big red cross on their chest, sown to their habit, to remind themselves and everyone that Christ is the divine doctor, the true saviour of humanity."

After greeting pilgrims in different languages, the Holy Father concluded by asking the Virgin to intercede "for the up-coming World Youth Day, so that it may be a rich experience of faith and of Christian commitment for the young people who gather in Toronto."

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