AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 8 March 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience:

- David McAllister, minister president of Lower Saxony, Germany, accompanied by an entourage.

- Twelve prelates of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, on their "ad limina" visit:

- Archbishop John Clayton Nienstedt of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Lee Anthony Piche.

- Bishop Michael J. Hoeppner of Crookston.

- Bishop Paul D. Sirba of Duluth.

- Bishop John Martin LeVoir of New Ulm.

- Bishop John Francis Kinnety of Saint Cloud.

- Bishop John M. Quinn of Winona, accompanied by Bishop emeritus Bernard Joseph Harrington.

- Bishop David A. Kagan of Bismarck.

- Bishop Samuel Joseph Aquila of Fargo.

- Bishop Robert D. Gruss of Rapid City.

- Bishop Paul Joseph Swain of Sioux Falls.

- Nikola Kaloudov, ambassador of Bulgaria, accompanied by his wife, on a farewell visit.