OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Dominique Lebrun of the clergy of the diocese of Saint-Denis, France, archpriest of the cathedral and dean of Saint-Denis, as bishop of Saint-Etienne (area 3,000, population 575,540, Catholics 442,000, priests 187, permanent deacons 22, religious 284), France. The bishop-elect was born in Rouen, France in 1957 and ordained a priest in 1984. He succeeds Bishop Pierre Joatton, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Jacques Blaquart of the clergy of the diocese of Angouleme, France, vicar general, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Bordeaux (area 10,000, population 1,288,311, Catholics 1,000,000, priests 288, permanent deacons 16, religious 594), France. The bishop-elect was born in Roumazieres, France in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1982.

- Appointed Msgr. Barry Jones, administrator of the cathedral of the diocese of Christchurch, New Zealand, as coadjutor of the same diocese (area 51,780, population 503,631, Catholics 62,715, priests 73, religious 155). The bishop-elect was born in North Canterbury, New Zealand in 1941 and ordained a priest in 1966.
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