IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, 20 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

 - Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, dean emeritus of the College of Cardinals, on 13 May at the age of 86.

 - Bishop Jorge Mario Avila del Aguila C.M., emeritus of Jalapa, Guatemala, on 3 May at the age of 84.

 - Bishop Donald William Montrose, emeritus of Stockton, U.S.A., on 7 May at the age of 84.

 - Bishop Ignacio Prieto Vega I.E.M.E., emeritus of Hwange, Zimbabwe, on 9 May at the age of 85.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 20 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

 - Fr. Neil Tiedemann C.P., provincial consultor of the Passionist Fathers, as bishop of Mandeville (area 3,282, population 582,000, Catholics 8,800, priests 43, religious 34), Jamaica. The bishop-elect was born in New York in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1975.

 - Bishop Christophe Dufour of Limoges, France, as coadjutor archbishop of Aix (area 4,580, population 861,000, Catholics 691,000, priests 175, permanent deacons 14, religious 381), France. The archbishop-elect was born in Armentieres, France in 1947, he was ordained a priest in 1975 and consecrated a bishop in 2001.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 20 MAY 2008 (VIS) - This evening, the Holy Father is scheduled to receive in separate audiences four prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Albania, on their ad limina" visit:

    - Archbishop Angelo Massafra O.F.M. of Shkodre-Pult, accompanied by former Auxiliary Bishop Zef Simoni.

    - Bishop Ottavio Vitale R.C.I. of Lezhe.

    - Bishop Lucjan Avgustini of Sape.
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CARDINALS TAKE POSSESSION OF DIACONATE, TITULAR CHURCHES

VATICAN CITY, 20 MAY 2008 (VIS) - According to a note published today by the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, at 6 p.m. on Saturday 24 May, Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Peter's in the Vatican, vicar general of His Holiness for Vatican City and president of the Fabric of St. Peter's, will take possession of the new diaconate of San Salvatore in Lauro, in Piazza di San Salvatore in Lauro 15, Rome.

  At midday on Sunday 25 May, Cardinal James Francis Stafford, major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary, will take possession of the title of San Pietro in Montorio, in Piazza di San Pietro in Montorio 2, Rome.

  The communique further announces that at 7 p.m. on Friday 30 May, Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, will take possession of the diaconate of the Sacred Heart of Christ the King, in Viale Mazzini 32, Rome.
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CATHOLIC UNIVERSITIES HOLD CONGRESS ON COMMUNICATION

VATICAN CITY, 20 MAY 2008 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council for Social Communications is promoting the First Congress of Faculties of Communication of Catholic Universities, which is due to be held from 22 to 24 May in Rome's Pontifical Urban University.

  The conference, which will be attended by professors in communication from Catholic universities in various countries, aims, according to communique on the event, "to strengthen and expand the co-operative relationship" between the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and representatives of Catholic universities, and "to give the council a fuller understanding of the range of activities taking place in these institutions and a greater appreciation of the qualifications, talents and skills of those who work within them".

  "The opening speech of the congress will outline the changing world of communications and the challenges that face all those dedicated to the academic formation of future professional communicators", reads the communique.

  Subsequent sessions of the congress will be dedicated to such themes as: "The identity and mission of communications faculties in Catholic universities in various geographical and ecclesiastical contexts"; "The ethical formation of communicators"; and "Preparing the study programme; how can study programmes in Catholic university faculties reflect the specific mission of universities?"
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