OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 31, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Accepted the resignation from the office of Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, presented by Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Cardinal Claudio Hummes O.F.M., archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil, as prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy.

 - Accepted the resignation from the office of archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, presented by Cardinal Francesco Marchisano. He is succeeded by his coadjutor, Archbishop Angelo Comastri, prelate emeritus of Loreto, Italy, vicar general for Vatican City State, president of the Fabric of St Peter's.

 - Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of New York, U.S.A., presented by Bishop Robert A. Brucato, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Fr. Thomas Chung An-zu of the clergy of Tainan, Taiwan, chaplain of the Fu Jen Catholic University, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Taipei (area 4,590, population 6,792,857, Catholics 84,326, priests 272, religious 707), Taiwan. The bishop-elect was born in Yunlin, Taiwan, in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1981.

- Appointed Fr. Fausto Gaibor Garcia, chancellor and pastor of the cathedral of Guaranda, Ecuador, as auxiliary of the diocese of Riobamba (area 7,014, population 475,000, Catholics 330,000, priests 67, permanent deacons 6, religious 218), Ecuador. The bishop-elect was born in Gauranda in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1981.
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