OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Fr. Peter F. Christensen of the clergy of the archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, U.S.A., pastor of the parish of the Nativity of Our Lord, as bishop of Superior (area 40,701, population 443,209, Catholics 81,885, priests 71, permanent deacons 57, religious 104), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Pasadena, U.S.A., in 1952 and ordained a priest in 1985. He succeeds Bishop Raphael Michael Fliss, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Msgr. Luigi Renzo of the clergy of the archdiocese of Rossano-Cariati, Italy, vicar general and pastor of the cathedral, as bishop of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea (area 943, population 156,900, Catholics 151,000, priests 136, permanent deacons 10, religious 158), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Cosenza, Italy in 1947 and ordained a priest in 1971. He succeeds Bishop Domenico Tarcisio Cortese O.F.M., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese, the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Msgr. Pietro Santoro of the clergy of the archdiocese of Chieti-Vasto, Italy, pastor and episcopal vicar, as bishop of Avezzano (area 1,700, population 115,137, Catholics 109,000, priests 109, permanent deacons 5, religious 160), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Vasto in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1970.

 - Appointed Fr. Soane Patita Paini Mafi, vice rector of the regional seminary of the Pacific in Fiji, as coadjutor of Tonga (area 748,000, population 110,000, Catholics 16,221, priests 30, religious 54), Kingdom of Tonga. The bishop-elect was born in Nuku'alofa, Kingdom of Tonga in 1961 and ordained a priest in 1991.

 - Appointed Fr. Anthony Ademu Adaji M.S.P., bursar of St. Paul's Seminary in Abuja, Nigeria, as auxiliary of Idah (area 12,898, population 1,409,000, Catholics 188,617, priests 56, religious 167), Nigeria. The bishop-elect was born in Ukpaba, Nigeria in 1964 and ordained a priest in 1995.

 - Appointed Msgr. Novatus Rugambwa, nunciature counsellor in Indonesia, as under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 - Cardinal Jozef Tomko, president of the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses.

 - Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

 - Eight prelates from the Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Archbishop Roberto Octavio Gonzalez Nieves O.F.M., of San Juan de Puerto Rico, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Hector Manuel Rivera Perez and Daniel Fernandez Torres, and by Cardinal Luis Aponte Martinez, archbishop emeritus

    - Bishop Inaki Mallona Txertudi C.P., of Arecibo.

    - Bishop Ruben Antonio Gonazalez Medina C.M.F., of Caguas.

    - Bishop Ulises Aurelio Casiano Vargas of Mayaguez.

    - Bishop Felix Lazaro Martinez Sch. P., of Ponce.
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MEETING DISCUSSES "MOTU PROPRIO" ON USE JOHN XXIII'S MISSAL

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2007 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a communique released today by the Holy See Press Office concerning Benedict XVI's forthcoming "Motu Proprio" on the use of the Missal promulgated by Blessed John XXIII in 1962.

  "Yesterday afternoon in the Vatican, a meeting was held under the presidency of the Cardinal Secretary of State in which the content and spirit of the Holy Father's forthcoming 'Motu Proprio' on the use of the Missal promulgated by John XXIII in 1962 was explained to representatives from various episcopal conferences. The Holy Father also arrived to greet those present, spending nearly an hour in deep conversation with them.

  "The publication of the document - which will be accompanied by an extensive personal letter from the Holy Father to individual bishops - is expected within a few days, once the document itself has been sent to all the bishops with an indication of when it will come into effect."
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SYNOD FOR AFRICA TO BE HELD IN THE VATICAN IN 2009

VATICAN CITY, JUN 28, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father Benedict XVI has called the Second Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops. The event, which is due to be held in the Vatican from October 4 to 25, 2009, has as its theme: "The Church in Africa at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace. 'You are the salt of the earth. ... You are the light of the world'."
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