OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 2, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Fr. Dominikus Saku of the clergy of the diocese of Atambua, Indonesia, professor and formator in the major seminary of Kupang, as bishop of Atambua (area 5,177, population 530,508, Catholics 478,475, priests 150, religious 205). The bishop-elect was born in Taikas, Indonesia in 1960 and ordained a priest in 1992. He succeeds Bishop Anton Pain Ratu S.V.D., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Erected the new diocese of Shendam (area 12,496, population 980,810, Catholics 149,051, priests 36, religious 7) Nigeria, with territory taken from the archdiocese of Jos, making it a suffragan of the same metropolitan church. He appointed Bishop James Naanman Daman O.S.A., of Jalingo, Nigeria, as first bishop of the new diocese.
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