OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Jean-Yves Riocreux, of the clergy of the archdiocese of Paris and pastor of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, as bishop of Pontoise (area 1,246, population 1,103,800, Catholics 829,000, priests 171, permanent deacons 15, religious 368), France. The bishop-elect was born in Marles, France in 1946 and was ordained a priest in 1974.

It was made public on Saturday May 3 that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Jean Marie Balla, rector of the Minor Seminary in Yaounde, Cameroon, as bishop of Bafia (area 34,600, population 325,000, Catholics 197,054, priests 21, religious 47), Cameroon. The bishop-elect was born in Oweng, Cameroon in 1959 and was ordained a priest in 1987. The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese presented by Bishop Athanase Bala, C.S.Sp., upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Stephen Victor Chmilar, of the clergy of the eparchy of Toronto of the Ukraines, as bishop of the eparchy of Toronto of the Ukraines (Catholics 41,010, priests 95, deacons 17, religious 52), Canada. The bishop-elect was born in Lamont, Canada in 1945 and was ordained a priest in 1972. The Holy Father accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the same eparchy presented by Bishop Cornelius John Pasichny, O.S.B.M., upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva, as coadjutor bishop of Dublin (area 3,184, population 1,164,256, Catholics 1,033,808, priests 1,405, religious 4,153), Ireland.

- Appointed Ombretta Fumagalli Carulli, ordinary professor of Canon Law in the Faculty of Law at Sacred Heart Catholic University in Milan, Italy, as an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

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