OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 4, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Erected the diocese of Kimbe, Papua Nuova Guinea, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Rabaul, making it a suffragan of the same metropolitan Church.

- Appointed Bishop Alphonse Chaupa, auxiliary of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea, as the first bishop of Kimbe (area 15,500, population 260,000, Catholics 125,000, priests 47, religious 139), Papua Nuova Guinea.

ECE; NER;...;...;CHAUPA ;VIS;20030704;Word: 60;