OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 8, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Paul Marchand S.M.M., auxiliary of Ottawa, as bishop of Timmins (area 26,200, population 98,000, Catholics 55,200, priests 31, religious 54), Canada.

On Saturday March 6, it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. Francesco Lambiasi, as bishop of Anagni-Alatri (area 737, population 84,969, Catholics 83,000, priests 69, religious 301), Italy. The bishop-elect was born in Bassiano, Italy, in 1947, was ordained in 1971, and since 1993 has been rector of the Pontifical Leonine College in Anagni. He succeeds Bishop Luigi Belloli, whose resignation from the pastoral care of this diocese was accepted by the Holy Father on having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Domenico Crusco of Oppido Mamertina-Palmi, as bishop of San Marco Argentano-Scalea (area 1,181, population 110,900, Catholics 106,700, priests 85, religious 107), Italy. He succeeds Bishop Augusto Lauro, whose resignation from the pastoral care of this diocese was accepted by the Holy Father on having reached the age limit.

- Archbishop Luis Robles Diaz, pro-nuncio in Uganda, as apostolic nuncio in Cuba.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 8, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins.
- Seven prelates from the Episcopal Conference of Croatia on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Anton Tamarut of Rijeka-Senj.
- Archbishop Ante Juric of Split-Makarska, accompanied by his auxiliary, Bishop Marin Barisic.
- Archbishop Josip Bozanic of Zagreb, accompanied by his auxiliaries, Bishops Josip Mrzljak, Vlado Kosic and Ivan Prendja.
- A group of thirteen prelates from the Italian Episcopal Conference (second group from the Campania region) on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Gerardo Pierro of Salerno-Campagna-Acerno.
- Archbishop Felice Cece of Sorrento-Castellammare di Stabia.
- Archbishop Bruno Schettino of Capua.
- Archbishop Beniamino De Palma of Amalfi-Cava de'Tirreni.
- Archbishop-elect Salvatore Nunnari of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi-Conza-Nusco-Bisaccia.
- Bishop Gioacchino Illiano of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno.
- Bishop Antonio Forte of Avellino.
- Bishop Giuseppe Rocco Favale of Vallo della Lucania.
- Bishop Antonio Napoletano of Sessa Aurunca.
- Bishop Michele de Rosa of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant'Agata dei Goti.
- Bishop Gennaro Pascarella of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia.
- Dom Benedetto Maria Salvatore Chianetta O.S.B., abbot of Holy Trinity Abbey of Cava de'Tirreni.
- Dom Tarcisio Giovanni Nazzaro O.S.B., abbot of the abbey of Montevergine.

On Saturday March 6 he received:

- Cardinal Michele Giordano, archbishop of Naples, Italy, on his "ad limina" visit.
- Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, permanent observer at the United Nations and Specialized Institutions in Geneva and the World Business Organization.
- Archbishop Franc Rode of Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Twelve prelates from the Italian Episcopal Conference (Campania region) on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Agostino Vallini, auxiliary bishop of Naples.
- Archbishop Serafino Sprovieri of Benevento.
- Archbishop Mario Milano, bishop of Aversa.
- Archbishop Francesco Saverio Toppi, prelate of Pompei.
- Bishop Antonio Riboldi of Acerra.
- Bishop Raffaele Nogaro of Caserta.
- Bishop Francesco Tommasiello of Teano-Calvi.
- Bishop Umberto Tramma of Nola.
- Bishop Silvio Padoin of Pozzuoli.
- Bishop Filippo Strofaldi of Ischia.
- Bishop Francesco Pio Tamburrino of Teggiano-Policastro.
- Bishop-elect Pietro Farina of Alife-Caiazzo.
- Cardinal Lucas Moreira Neves, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.

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POST-ASIAN SYNOD MEETING HELD IN ROME

VATICAN CITY, MAR 8, 1999 (VIS) - The Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops for the Special Assembly for Asia held its third meeting in the secretariat headquarters from February 24 to 26, according to a communique made public today. In attendance were three cardinals, including Secretary General Cardinal Jan P. Schotte, C.I.C.M., two archbishops, six bishops and four synod staff members.

The communique stated that the meeting included an introduction by Cardinal Schotte, analysis and debate on the elements to be forwarded to the Holy Father for his consideration in writing the post-synodal apostolic exhortation, a summary of activity undertaken since the second meeting, and a reading of the reports by the two language groups, "which enriched and perfected the contribution of the Council in view of the post-synodal exhortation."

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IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, MAR 8, 1999 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks and months:

- Bishop Virgilio de Pauli of Campo Mourao, Brazil, on February 21, aged 75.
- Bishop Andre Dupont, emeritus of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, on February 21, aged 97.
- Archbishop Ignace Abdo Khalife, bishop emeritus of Saint Maron of Sydney, Australia, on July 7, 1998, aged 84.
- Bishop Ramon Salas Valdes of Arica, Chile, on February 17, aged 81.
- Archbishop Joseph Elias Tawil, bishop of Newton of the Greek Melkites, United States of America, on February 17, aged 85.

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HOLY FATHER PRAISES COMMITMENT OF GROUP WORKING FOR PEACE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 5, 1999 (VIS) - Members of the Committee of Information and Initiatives for Peace (COMIN) were welcomed today by the Pope, who highlighted their "praiseworthy commitment" and "the passion with which each of you places his talents and service at the cause of peace and the research of the most appropriate way to achieve just cooperation between men and peoples."

"You have chosen to be present," he remarked, "through opportune diplomatic channels, in the most risky contexts, offering the leaders of nations in conflict, information and scientific and moral contributions (which can be) useful for a fair solution to the problems."

John Paul II pointed out that today there is, "in large numbers of the world's population, a horror of war and a profound desire for peace. ... This is a sentiment which must be constantly cultivated and encouraged, because it is only in the rejection of every form of violence and a sincere search for coexistence ... that there will be the indispensable premises for building a civil world based on solidarity."

Essential to building peace, stated the Holy Father, is "the defense of human rights, without which, the seeds of instability, rebellion and violence inevitably increase. ... Respect for human rights is closely linked to that of the rights of God. There is no future of peace for a society which does not respect God. ... And this is why every human community which aspires to peace, cannot not place as the basis of its coexistence the recognition of the primacy of God and respect for religious freedom," which "constitutes the heart of human rights."

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