LETTER FROM THE POPE TO CARDINAL BERTONE

Vatican City, 4 July 2012 (VIS) - Given below is the text of a letter written by the Holy Father to Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, and dated 2 July.

"On the eve of my departure to spend the summer months at Castelgandolfo, I wish to express my profound appreciation for your discreet presence and wise counsel, which I have found particularly helpful over recent months.

"Having noted with sorrow the unjust criticisms that have been directed against your person, I wish to reiterate the expression of my personal confidence, which I already declared to you in a letter on 15 January 2010, the contents of which remain unchanged as far as I am concerned.

"In entrusting your ministry to the maternal intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, and to that of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, it is my pleasure to send you a fraternal greeting, accompanied by an apostolic blessing as a sign of all desired goodness".

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 4 July 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Cardinal Marc Ouellet P.S.S., prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 4 July 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Jose Ruy Goncalves Lopes O.F.M. Cap., director of the college of "Santo Antonio", parochial vicar and professor in the archdiocese of Feira de Santana, Brazil, as bishop of the diocese of Jequie (area 18,771, population 628,000, Catholics 545,000, priests 43, religious 36), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Feira de Santana in 1967 and ordained a priest in 1993. Among other things, he has worked as formator of novices for his order, minister provincial and vice president of the Conference of Capuchins of Brazil He succeeds Bishop Cristiano Jakob Krapf, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.