IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 1999 (VIS) - The following prelates died in recent weeks:

- Bishop Gilberto Baroni, emeritus of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla, Italy, on March 14, aged 85.
- Archbishop Isidore de Souza of Cotonou, Benin, on March 13, aged 64.
- Bishop Aloysius Haene, S.M.B., of Gweru, Zimbabwe, on February 19, aged 88.
- Bishop Teodardo Leitz, O.F.M., emeritus of Dourados, Brazil, on February 27, aged 83.
- Archbishop Gian Vincenzo Moreni, apostolic nuncio in the Philippines, on March 3, aged 67.
- Bishop Francisco Nunes Teixeira, emeritus of Quelimane, Mozambique, March 2, aged 89.
- Bishop Raimondo Verardo O.P., emeritus of Ventimiglia-Sanremo, Italy, on March 2, aged 86.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Ruben Salazar Gomez of Cucuta as metropolitan archbishop of Barranquilla (area 3,338, population 1,706,305, Catholics 1,202,535, priests 131, religious 536), Colombia. The archbishop-elect was born in Bogota, Colombia, in 1942, was ordained a priest in 1967 and a bishop in 1992. He succeeds Archbishop Felix Maria Torres Parra, whose resignation from the pastoral care of this diocese was accepted by the Holy Father on having reached the age limit.

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Victoria, Canada, presented by Bishop Remi Joseph De Roo on having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop Raymond Roussin, S.M.

- Appointed Bishop Gustavo Martinez Frias of Ipiales as metropolitan archbishop of Nueva Pamplona (area 6,571, population 310,000, Catholics 297,000, priests 59, religious 119), Colombia. The archbishop-elect was born in San Vicente de Chucuri, Colombia, in 1935, was ordained a priest 1960, and was consecrated a bishop 1987.

- Appointed Bishop Rafael Conde Alfonzo, coadjutor of La Guaira, as bishop of Margarita (area 1,050, population 360,000, Catholics 350,000, priests 25, religious 53), Venezuela.

- Appointed Fr. Bernard Genoud as bishop of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg (area 5,557, population 1,346,000, Catholics 671,072, priests 656, religious 1,641), Switzerland. The bishop-elect was born in Chatel-St-Denis, Switzerland, in 1942, was ordained a priest in 1968, and since 1994 has been rector of the major diocesan seminary.

- Appointed Fr. Leopoldo Gonzalez Gonzalez as auxiliary bishop of Morelia (area 22,000, population 2,811,000, Catholics 2,637,000, priests 555, religious 1,258), Mexico. The bishop-elect was born in Abasolo, Mexico, in 1950, was ordained a priest in 1975, and since 1995 has been vicar general of the archdiocese of Morelia.

- Appointed Fr. Jose Luis Azuaje Ayala as auxiliary bishop of Barquisimeto (area 8,590, population 1,194,000, Catholics 1,132,000, priests 171, religious 354), Venezuela. The bishop-elect was born in Valera, Venezuela, in 1957, was ordained a priest in 1984, and since 1993 has been episcopal vicar of diocesan pastoral ministry.

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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, MAR 18, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- Cardinal Cahal Brendan Daly, archbishop emeritus of Armagh, Ireland.
- Archbishop Franco Festorazzi of Ancona-Osimo, Italy, on his "ad limina" visit.
- Seven bishops from the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique, on their "ad limina" visit:
- Bishop Paulo Mandlate S.S.S., of Tete.
- Bishop Julio Duarte Langa of Xai-Xai.
- Bishop Franciso Joao Silota, M.Afr., of Chimoio.
- Bishop Germano Grachane C.M., of Nacala.
- Bishop Manuel Chuanguira Machado of Gurue.
- Bishop Tome Makhweliha S.C.I., of Pemba.
- Bishop Januario Machaze Nhangumbe, emeritus of Pemba and secretary general of the Episcopal Conference of Mozambique.
- A group of twelve prelates from the Italian Episcopal Conference (Marches region) on their "ad limina" visit:
- Archbishop Ugo Donato Bianchi of Urbino-Urbania-Sant'Angelo in Vado.
- Archbishop Angelo Comastri, prelate of Loreto, pontifical delegate for the shrine of Loreto.
- Archbishop Angelo Fagiani of Camerino-San Severino Marche.
- Archbishop Benito Franceschetti of Fermo.
- Bishop Oscar Serfilippi of Jesi.
- Bishop Luigi Scuppa of Fabriano-Matelica.
- Bishop Vittorio Tomasetti of Fano-Possombrone-Cagli-Pergola.
- Bishop Gervasio Gestori of San Benedetto del Tronto-Ripatransone-Montalto.
- Bishop Luigi Conti of Macerata-Tolentino-Recanati-Cingoli-Treia.
- Bishop Giuseppe Orlandoni of Senigallia.
- Bishop Silvano Montevecchi of Ascoli Piceno.
- Bishop Angelo Bagnasco of Pesaro.

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GENERAL AUDIENCE

VATICAN CITY, MAR 17, 1999 (VIS) - The theme of today's general audience celebrated in St. Peter's Square, was "Knowing the Father.'" The Pope said that "we can know God as Father on different levels, according to our perspective and the aspect of the mystery contemplated."

The Holy Father explained that "there is a natural knowledge of God from creation. This leads us to recognize in Him the origin and transcendent cause of the world and the human person." However, "it is not possible to know the depths of divine fatherhood, but only as God himself shows himself."

"In the events of the history of salvation what reveals itself more and more is the initiative of the Father who, with his interior action, opens the hearts of believers to welcome his Incarnate Son. Knowing Jesus, they will be able to know the Father also."

John Paul II said that "knowing the Father means, then, finding in him the source of our being and our unity as members of one family, but it also means being immersed in a 'spiritual' life, the same life of God."

"The proclamation of the Son," he concluded, "continues to be, therefore, the royal road to know the Father and to make Him known. ... God is the one Father of all, wishing to offer salvation to all through the work of His Son. It is what St. John's Gospel calls the gift of eternal life."

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 17, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Osorio Bebber O.F.M. Cap., prelate of the territorial prelature of Coxim, as bishop of Joacaba (area 10,202, population 256,800, Catholics 220,000, priests 37, religious 88), Brazil. He succeeds Bishop Henrique Muller, O.F.M., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Joacaba was accepted by the Holy Father on having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Luc J. Matthys as bishop of Armidale (area 115,000, population 168,564, Catholics 40,553, priests 34, religious 68), Australia. The bishop-elect was born in Drongen, Belgium, in 1935, was ordained a priest in 1961, and since 1998 has been dean and pastor of Melbourne cathedral.
- Accepted the resignation presented by Bishop Hilarion Capucci B.A., apostolic visitor for Greek-Melkite Catholics in Western Europe, on having reached the age limit.

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