IN BRIEF

MADE PUBLIC ON MAY 15 WAS A LETTER BY THE HOLY FATHER, written in Latin and dated April 23, in which he appoints Cardinal Secretary of State, Angelo Sodano, pontifical legate for the solemn closing ceremony of the gathering of Catholics in Central Europe (Mitteleuropäischer Katholikentag 2003/2004) which will take place in the Shrine of Mariazell, Austria on Saturday May 22. The mission that will accompany the cardinal will include Msgrs. Josef Toth, dean of the Chapter of Vienna; Msgr. Piero Pioppo, counselor of the nunciature in service to the Secretariat of State; and Msgr. Christoph Kuehn, secretary of the nunciature in service to the Secretariat of State.

CARDINAL GIOVANNI BATTISTA RE, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, has been named by the Pope as his envoy to the celebrations for the 750th anniversary of the consecration of the patriarchal basilica of St. Francis of Assisi which will take place on May 23. The other members of the mission who will accompany the cardinal were announced in a letter to the cardinal, written in Latin and dated April 29: Fr. Massimo Reschiglian, O.F.M., provincial minister of the Conventual Friars Minor of Umbria, Fr. Bernardo Commodi, O.F.M. Conv., provincial minister of the Friars Minor of Umbria, Fr. Ennio Tiacci, O.F.M. Cap., provincial minister of the Friars Minor Capuchins of Umbria and Fr. Alessio Maglione, T.O.R., provincial minister of the Third Regular Order of the St. Francis of Umbria. 

THE MEMBERS AND CONSULTANTS OF THE PONTIFICAL COUNCIL for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples will participate in the 26th plenary assembly in Rome on May 17-19 on the theme "Ecumenical, Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Dialogue in the World of Migrants and Itinerant People." During the sessions, there will be various presentations on the experiences of dialogue in the fields of refugees, tourism, nomads, the apostolate of the sea and airports.

THE NEW CUSTOS OF THE HOLY LAND is Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, appointed by the General Definitor of the Friars Minor and approved by the Holy See according to the norm of the Pontifical Statutes that regulate this entity of the Franciscan Order.  Fr. Pizzaballa, who succeeds Fr. Giovanni Battistelli after six years in charge, was born in Cologno al Serio, Italy in 1965 and was ordained a priest in 1990.  That same year he was assigned to the Custody of the Holy Land. Since May of 2001, he has been superior of the convents of St. Simeon and Anna in Jerusalem.
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