OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, OCT 5, 2006 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father appointed Monsignor Lucas Martinez Lara, of the clergy of the archdiocese of San Luis Potosi, as Bishop of Matehuala (area 26,912, population 255,923, Catholics 219,148, priests 29, religious 45) Mexico. The bishop elect was born in 1943 in a small town in the Archdiocese of San Luis Potosi and ordained in 1968. At the time, he was Episcopal Vicar of the "Medina Zone" and parish priest for Santa Catalina of Rioverde.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, OCT 5, 2006 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received the following in separate audiences:

- Heinz Fischer, President of the Republic of Austria, his wife and following.

- Five Prelates from the Assembly of Western Catholic Bishops, Canada, on their "ad limina" visit:

  - Archbishop Raymond Roussin, S.M., of Vancouver.

  - Bishop David John James Monroe, of Kamloops.

  - Archbishop Emilius Goulet, P.S.S., of Saint-Boniface.

  - Bishop Albert LeGatt, of Saskatoon.

  - Bishop Blaise-Ernest Morand, of Prince-Albert.

  This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal Ivan Dias, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
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THE POPE RECEIVES THE AUSTRIAN PRESIDENT

VATICAN CITY, OCT 5, 2006 (VIS) - This morning, the Holy See Press Office published the following notice:

  "Benedict XVI received Mr. Heinz Fischer, the President of the Federal Republic of Austria, in an audience today. After, the President met with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Secretary of State of His Holiness".

  "In an atmosphere of great cordiality, the activities of the Catholic Church in Austrian society was discussed during the meetings, and joy was expressed on the good bilateral relations between the Holy See and Austria, as well as on the mutual harmony on the theme of the cultural and spiritual identity of Europe. Certain topics of great importance to today's world context  were then taken into consideration: the promotion of dialogue between cultures and religions, in particular between Christianity and Islam, and refuting any sort of terrorism".

  "The Holy Father gladly accepted the renewed invitation to visit the Marian Sanctuary of Mariazell next year, extended by the Austrian Federal President".
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