OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 19, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Bishop Luciano Monari of Piacenza-Bobbio, Italy, as bishop of Brescia (area 4,538, population 1,094,686, Catholics 959,680, priests 1,059, permanent deacons 35, religious 2,471), Italy. He succeeds Bishop Giulio Sanguineti, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Bishop Robert Rivas O.P. of Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as coadjutor archbishop of Castries (area 616, population 157,775, Catholics 100,243, priests 31, permanent deacons 13, religious 74), St. Lucia. The archbishop-elect was born in Arima, Trinidad, in 1946, he was ordained a priest in 1971 and consecrated a bishop in 1990.
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VATICAN CITY STATE OPENS NEW INTERNET PORTAL

VATICAN CITY, JUL 19, 2007 (VIS) - The Governorate of Vatican City State today opened a new Internet portal (www.vaticanstate.va) in order to meet the needs of the ever increasing numbers of pilgrims and tourists in the Vatican, and to respond to the continuous requests for information reaching the various offices of Vatican State though the traditional channels.

  A communique made public yesterday afternoon explains that the new website, which will run alongside the official Holy See website (www.vatican.va), has been implemented in five languages (Italian, English, French, Spanish and German) with Portuguese soon to be added. Through its five sections (State and Government, Services, Other Institutions, Monuments and Shop) the portal "presents the State's bodies, the key monuments with descriptions and images, and useful time schedules for the public" reads the English-language communique.

  The site also offers a photo tour of the Vatican Gardens, as well as giving real time access via five webcams to some of the most famous sights: the dome of St. Peter's, St. Peter's Square, a panoramic view of Rome, the tomb of John Paul II and the palace of the Governorate.

  Via the new portal, the communique concludes, "visitors will soon be able to purchase Vatican coins, stamps and other articles available from the Vatican Museum's publications and reproductions sales office."
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CELEBRATIONS TO BE PRESIDED BY THE POPE: AUGUST-SEPTEMBER

VATICAN CITY, JUL 19, 2007 (VIS) - Below is the calendar of liturgical celebrations due to be presided over by the Holy Father in the months of August and September.

AUGUST

 - Wednesday 15: Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mass in the parish church of St. Thomas at Castelgandolfo at 8 a.m.

SEPTEMBER

 - Saturday 1 to Sunday 2: Trip to Loreto, Italy, for a meeting of Italian youth.

 - Friday 7 to Sunday 9: apostolic trip to Austria.

 - Sunday 23: Pastoral visit to Velletri, Italy. Mass in the cathedral there at 9.30 a.m.

RITES OF BEATIFICATION APPROVED BY THE HOLY FATHER (SEPTEMBER)

 - Saturday 15: At 4 p.m. in the Antares Center in Le Mans, France, beatification of Servant of God Basile-Antonie Marie Moreau.

 - Sunday 16: At 10 a.m. in the Marian Shrine of Lichen-Wloclawek, Poland, beatification of Servant of God Stanislaus of Jesus Mary (ne Jana Papczynski).

 - Sunday 16: At 4 p.m. in the cathedral of Bordeaux, France, beatification of Servant of God Marie Celine of the Presentation (nee Jeanne-Germaine Castang).

 - Sunday, 30: At 10 a.m. in the church of St. James and St. Agnes in Nysa-Opole, Poland, beatification of Servant of God Maria Merckert.
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