OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 16 JAN 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - In accordance with canon 185 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, gave his assent to the canonical election carried out by the Synod of Bishops of the Maronite Patriarchal Church of Fr. Michel Aoun, "sincellus" for the clergy of Beirut of the Maronites, Lebanon, as bishop of Jbeil-Byblos of the Maronites (Catholics 250,000, priests 94, religious 78), Lebanon. The bishop-elect was born in Damour, Lebanon in 1959 and ordained a priest in 1984. He has worked as a pastor and educator in Lebanon and as rector at seminaries in Cairo and in Rome. He is also vice president of "La Sagesse" University in Beirut.

 - In accordance with canon 185 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, gave his assent to the canonical election carried out by the Synod of Bishops of the Maronite Patriarchal Church of Fr. Elias Slaiman Slaiman, professor and judge in the Lebanese ecclesiastical tribunals, as bishop of Lattaquie of the Maronites (Catholics 33,000, priests 28, religious 51), Syria. The bishop-elect was born in Hekr Semaan, Syria in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1987. He studied in France where he also served as vicar at a parish in Paris. He has worked as chaplain of "La Sagesse" University in Beirut and vicar general of Damascus, Syria.

 - In accordance with canon 185 para. 1 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, gave his assent to the canonical election carried out by the Synod of Bishops of the Maronite Patriarchal Church of Fr. Mounir Khairallah, "protosincellus" of Batrun of the Maronites, Lebanon, as bishop of Batrun (Catholics 69,800, priests 56, religious 95). The bishop-elect was born in Mtah-Ezziat in 1953 and ordained a priest in 1977. He studied in France where he also worked in pastoral care in Parisian parishes. On his return to Lebanon he served as secretary of the Maronite Patriarchal Synod, as seminary professor and as pastor in a number of parishes.

 - Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the diocese of Zielona Gora-Gorzow, Poland, presented by Bishop Pawel Socha C.M., upon having reached the age limit.

  On Saturday 14 January it was made public that he:

 - Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Beira, Mozambique, presented by Archbishop Jaime Pedro Goncalves, upon having reached the age limit, appointing Bishop Joao Carlos Hatoa Nunes, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Maputo, Mozambique, as apostolic administrator "sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis" of Beira.

 - Erected the new diocese of Ifakara, (area 14,245, population 322,779, Catholics 287,000, priests 62, religious 201) Tanzania, with territory taken from the diocese of Mahenge, making it a suffragan of the metropolitan church of Dar-es-Salaam. He appointed Bishop Salutaris Melchior Libena, auxiliary of Dar-es-Salaam, as first bishop of the new diocese.

 - Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of Bombay, India, presented by Bishop Bosco Penha, upon having reached the age limit.
NER:RE:ECE/                            VIS 20120116 (520)