OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 4 MAR 2009 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Fr. Edson Taschetto Damian of the clergy of the diocese of Santa Maria, Brazil, "fidei donum" priest in the diocese of Roraima, Brazil, as bishop of Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira (area 286,866, population 91,200, Catholics 90,000, priests 27, permanent deacons 1, religious 70), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Jaguari, Brazil in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1975. He succeeds Bishop Jose Song Sui-wan S.D.B., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

 - Appointed Fr. Giovane Pereira de Melo of the clergy of the diocese of Rondonopolis, Brazil, pastor of the parish of "Nossa Senhora Aparecida", as bishop of Tocantinopolis (area 42,500, population 478,000, Catholics 375,000, priests 34, permanent deacons 1, religious 60), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Salinas, Brazil in 1959 and ordained a priest in 1990.
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