OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, NOV 13, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Bishop Romulo Geolina Valles of Kidapawan, Philippines, as archbishop of Zamboanga (area 1,638, population 668,380, Catholics 494,601, priests 65, religious 128), Philippines. The archbishop-elect was born in Maribojoc, Philippines in 1951, he was ordained a priest in 1976, and consecrated bishop in 1997. He succeeds Archbishop Carmelo Dominator F. Morelos, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Bishop Sergio Lasam Utleg of Ilagan, Philippines, as bishop of Laoag (area 3,386, population 671,000, Catholics 450,000, priests 48, religious 79), Philippines.

 - Fr. Jose Alejandro Castano Arbelaez O.A.R. pastor of "Sagrado Corazon" parish in Manizales, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Cali (area 2,504, population 2,563,177, Catholics 2,178,700, priests 304, permanent deacons 18, religious 272), Colombia. The bishop-elect was born in La Ceja, Colombia in 1945 and ordained a priest in 1971.
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