OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, APR 16, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Sorsogon, the Philippines, presented by Bishop Jesus Y. Varela upon having reached the age limit. Coadjutor Bishop Arturo M. Bastes, S.V.D., succeeds him.

- Appointed Fr. Giuseppe Guerrini, judicial vicar of the diocesan tribunal of Cuneo, Italy as bishop of Saluzzo (area 1,782, population 92,356, Catholics 89,160, priests 116, religious 155, permanent deacons 2), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in 1941 in Cuneo and was ordained a priest in 1964. He succeeds Bishop Diego Natale Bona, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Saluzzo the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Peter Martin Musikuwa, director of the Major Seminary of St. Peter's in Zomba, Malawi, as bishop of Chikwawa (area 7,676, population 763,862, Catholics 112,178, priests 23, religious 20), Malawi. The bishop-elect was born in 1952 in Kalimtulo, Malawi and was ordained a priest in 1982.

- Appointed Fr. Prudencio Padilla Andaya, C.I.C.M., instructor of novices and provincial counselor in Taytay, the Philippines, as bishop of Tabuk (area 6,471, population 271,152, Catholics 177,749, priests 27, religious 22), the Philippines. The bishop-elect was born in 1959 in Lubuagan, the Philippines and was ordained a priest in 1986.

- Appointed Msgr. Pawel Stobrawa, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Opole, Poland, as auxiliary bishop of the same diocese (area 8,033, population 910,000, Catholics 870,400, priests 773, religious 1,050). The bishop-elect was born in Zborowskie, Poland in 1947 and was ordained a priest in 1973.

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