OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 10, 2005 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

 - Msgr. Ralph Walker Nickless, vicar general and pastor of the parish of Our Lady of Fatima in the archdiocese of Denver, U.S.A., as bishop of Sioux City (area 37,587, population 468,549, Catholics 94,186, priests 150, permanent deacons 36, religious 86), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Denver in 1947 and ordained a priest in 1973.

 - Cardinal Peter Erdo, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, as his special envoy to the solemn jubilee celebrations due to take place at the Hungarian shrine of Mariapocs on December 3.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, NOV 10, 2005 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 - Jalal Talabani, president of the Republic of Iraq, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.

 - Three prelates from the Bulgarian Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop Petko Jordanov Christov O.F.M. Conv., of Nicopoli.

    - Bishop Gheorghi Ivanov Jovcev of Sofia and Plovdiv.

    - Bishop Christo Proykov, apostolic exarch for Catholics of the Byzantine-Slavic rite resident in Bulgaria.

 - Sali Berisha, prime minister of the Republic of Albania, accompanied by his wife and an entourage.

 - Archbishop George Antonysamy, apostolic nuncio to Guinea, Liberia and Gambia, accompanied by members of his family.

  This evening, he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
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IN BRIEF

ARCHBISHOP CELESTINO MIGLIORE, HOLY SEE permanent observer to the United Nations, made a speech yesterday afternoon before the Third Committee on Item 39: 'Report of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). The nuncio highlighted the fact that protection of refugees, which involves "not just defense from outside hostile forces, touches the whole spectrum of human rights of those forced to flee. Such rights remain constant during all phases of repatriation, reintegration, rehabilitation and reconstruction."

"THE HUMAN GENOME" IS THE THEME OF THE TWENTIETH international conference promoted by the Pontifical Council for Heath Care Ministry, due to be held in the Vatican from November 17 to 19, 2005. The initiative will be presented in a press conference due to be held at 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday, November 15, in the Holy See Press Office by Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, Bishop Jose L. Redrado O.H., and Fr. Felice Ruffini M.I., respectively president, secretary and under-secretary of the pontifical council. Also present at the press conference will be Maria Luisa Di Pietro, associate professor of bioethics at Rome's Sacred Heart Catholic University, and Fr. Angelo Serra S.J., professor emeritus of human genetics at the same university.
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INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON SPORT

VATICAN CITY, NOV 10, 2005 (VIS) - The first international seminar on sport, organized by the Pontifical Council for the Laity, is due to be held in Rome on November 11 and 12.

  The meeting - the theme of which is "the Christian mission in the field of sport today" - will bring together 50 people from 18 countries, experts in many areas within the world of sport.

  The program of the seminar includes an analysis of the global phenomenon of sport, together with its anthropological, cultural, educational and ethical repercussions within contemporary society. Consideration will also be given to the various fields of opportunity that the world of sport can offer the Church in the realization of her pastoral mission, especially among the young.

  The seminar will conclude with the presentation of the future goals of the section "Church and Sport," founded by John Paul II in 2004 as part of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. In this context, one of the aims of the seminar is to gather a group of persons who have expertise in various fields of sport (scholars, directors of Catholic sporting associations, representatives from national bishops' conferences, professional athletes, etc.) who can contribute to the new section.
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TELEGRAM TO KING ABDULLAH OF JORDAN FOR AMMAN ATTACKS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 10, 2005 (VIS) - Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano sent, acting in the Pope's name, sent a telegram of condolence to King Abdullah II of Jordan for last night's attacks in the Jordanian capital, which cost the lives of scores people.

  "Deeply saddened to learn of the cruel acts of violence and disrespect for law and human life perpetrated in the city of Amman, the Holy Father sends heartfelt condolences to Your Majesty, to the families of the deceased and to the entire nation. Remembering the victims and injured in his prayers, the Holy Father invokes the divine gifts of consolation upon those who mourn, and unfailing courage upon all who work for lasting peace and respect for human rights in the Middle East."
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