OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Bishop Denis Kiwanuka Lote of Kotido, Uganda, as archbishop of Tororo (area 8,837, population 2,662,000, Catholics 586,000, priests 85, religious 150), Uganda. The archbishop-elect was born in Pallisa, Uganda in 1938, he was ordained a priest in 1965 and consecrated a bishop in 1991. He succeeds Archbishop James Odongo, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Fr. Emmanuel Obbo A.J., rector of the minor seminary of the Congregation of the Apostles of Jesus in Nadiket Moroto, as bishop of Soroti (area 12,864, population 1,417,000, Catholics 915,000, priests 49, religious 52), Uganda. The bishop-elect was born in Nagoke/Kirewa, Uganda in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1986. He succeeds Bishop Erasmus Desiderius Wandera, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Fr. Aloisio Alberto Dilli O.F.M., master of novices in the province of "Sao Francisco de Assis" and guardian of the fraternity of "Daltro Filho" in the diocese of Caxias do Sul, Brazil, as bishop of Uruguaiana (area 38,795, population 445,000, Catholics 330,000, priests 25, religious 81), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Montenegro, Brazil in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1977. He succeeds Bishop Angelo Domingos Salvador O.F.M. Cap., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Msgr. Arturo Eduardo Fajardo Bustamante of the clergy of the diocese of Minas, Uruguay, rector of the diocesan seminary, as bishop of San Jose de Mayo (area 10,136, population 113,000, Catholics 85,800, priests 18, religious 21), Uruguay. The bishop-elect was born in Aigua, Uruguay, in 1961 and ordained a priest in 1988.

 - Appointed Msgr. Francisco Mendoza de Leon of the clergy of the archdiocese of Manila, Philippines, rector of the shrine of Divine Mercy, as auxiliary of the diocese of Antipolo (area 1,859, population 3,250,000, Catholics 2,410,000, priests 126, religious 794), Philippines. The bishop-elect was born in Paranaque, Philippines in 1947 and ordained a priest in 1975.

 - Accepted the resignation from the office of grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, presented by Cardinal Carlo Furno, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Archbishop John Patrick Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, as pro-grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

 - Appointed Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, secretary of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), as president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.
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SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH MUST RESPECT HUMAN DIGNITY

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2007 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Pope addressed some remarks to participants in an international congress on adult stem cells, being organized by the "La Sapienza" University of Rome.

  The Holy Father noted how the congress "sets itself the aim of developing autologous cell therapy in the treatment of cardiac problems, through the use of adult stem cells. On this matter the position of the Church, supported by reason and by science, is clear: scientific research must be encouraged and promoted, so long as it does not harm other human beings, whose dignity is inviolable from the very first stages of existence."
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CYRIL: CATECHESIS THAT EMBRACES BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT

VATICAN CITY, JUN 27, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father dedicated his catechesis during today's general audience to St. Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. 315-387), whom he described as a bishop of a great "ecclesiastical culture, centered on the study of the Bible." The general audience, Benedict XVI's hundredth, began with his greeting pilgrims in St. Peter's Basilica, then continued in the Paul VI Hall. It was attended by around 7,000 people.

  Cyril, the Pope explained, was consecrated a bishop in 348 by Acacius, metropolitan of Caesarea in Palestine and a supporter of Arianism. However, soon afterwards the two men came into contrast, "not only in the doctrinal field, but also in the area of jurisprudence, because Cyril claimed the autonomy of his see from the metropolitan see of Caesarea." He was exiled thee times and only in 378, following the death of the emperor Valens, could Cyril return to his see, "restoring unity and peace among the faithful." Of this saint we have his "Catecheses," 24 catechetical lectures introduced by a prologue.

  "Catechesis," the Holy Father explained, "was an important moment, inserted into the broad context of the entire life - and especially the liturgical life - of the Christian community" where "the future faithful were gestated, accompanied by the prayer and witness of their brethren. This was a very important moment, it was not just an intellectual catechesis, but a way of learning to live in the Christian community. As a whole, Cyril's homilies constitute a systematic and pragmatic catechesis on the rebirth of Christians through Baptism."

  From a doctrinal point of view, Cyril uses his work - through "a 'symphonic' relationship between the two Testaments" - to reach "Christ, center of the universe." In his moral catechesis, he invites people "to transform pagan forms of behavior on the basis of the new life in Christ." In his "mystagogic" catechesis, he brings the newly baptized "to discover the hidden mysteries ... contained in the baptismal rites."

  "The mystery to be understood is the design of God which is accomplished through the salvific action of Christ in the Church. The mystagogic dimension is, in turn, accompanied by the dimension of symbols which express the spiritual experience they bring about."

  "This is, then," the Pope concluded, "an integral catechesis which - involving body, soul and spirit - remains emblematic for the catechetical formation of Christians today. Let us ask the Lord to help us understand a Christianity that truly embraces all of our existence and makes us credible witnesses of Christ, true God and true man."
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