OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAY 24, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Appointed Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, as archbishop of the same diocese (area 63,763, population 7,944,600, Catholics 91,951, priests 52, permanent deacons 1, religious 154), Malaysia. He succeeds Archbishop Antony Soter Fernandez whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father received in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- Bishop Charles Maung Bo, S.D.B, of Pathein, Myanmar as metropolitan archbishop of Yangon (area 66,535, population 14,700,000, Catholics 85,000, priests 80, religious 270), Myanmar.

- Appointed Bishop Paul Grawng of Myitkyina, Myanmar as metropolitan archbishop of Mandalay (area 212,407, population 15,000,000, Catholics 22,809, priests 31, religious 174), Myanmar.
- Appointed of Bishop John Hsane Hgyi, auxiliary of diocese of Pathein, Myanmar, as bishop of the same diocese (area 25,328, population 4,745,378, Catholics 69,588, priests 59, religious 168).

- Appointed Bishop Ricardo Valenzuela Rios, auxiliary of Asuncion, Paraguay, as military ordinary bishop for Paraguay.

- Appointed the following people as members of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples: Fr. Joseph Gyetin of the archdiocese of Koupela, Burkina Faso, national director of the Pontifical Missionary Works for Burkina Faso and Niger; Fr. Jan Piotrowski of the diocese of Tarnow, Poland, national director of the Pontifical Missionary Works for Poland and Fr. Ignace Siluvai of the diocese of Tuticorin, India, national director for the Pontifical Missionary Works for India.

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