OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 20, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Homa Bay, Kenya, presented by Bishop Linus Okok Okwach in accordance with Canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Bishop Jose Maria Liborio Camino Saracho, auxiliary of Sao Miguel Paulista, Brazil, as bishop of Presidente Prudente (area 13,251, population 511,445, Catholics 470,000, priests 45, religious 58), Brazil. He succeeds Bishop Antonio Agostinho Marochi whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Archbishop Murilo Sebastiao Ramos Krieger S.C.I., of Maringa, Brazil, as metropolitan archbishop of Florianopolis (area 7,802, population 1,191,505, Catholics 953,976, priests 163, permanent deacons 86, religious 597), Brazil.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 19, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. John Fleming of the clergy of Limerick, Ireland, former rector of the Pontifical Irish College in Rome, as bishop of Killala (area 3,754, population 38,001, Catholics 36,934, priests 57, permanent deacons 1, religious 83), Ireland. The bishop-elect was born in Ardpatrick, Ireland, in 1948 and ordained a priest in 1972. He succeeds Bishop Thomas Anthony Finnegan whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. William C. Skurla, pastor of the church of St. Melania at Tucson, Arizona, as bishop of the eparchy of Van Nuys of the Ruthenians (Catholics 3,121, priests 28, permanent deacons 4, religious 12), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1987. He succeeds Bishop Martin George Kuzma whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same eparchy upon having reached the age limit was accepted in accordance with Canon 210, para, 2, of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches

- Appointed Fr. Karel Herbst S.D.B., pastor of Frystak in the archdiocese of Olomouc, Czech Republic, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Prague (area 8,990, population 2,140,000, Catholics 604,500, priests 338, permanent deacons 17, religious 520), Czech Republic. The bishop-elect was born in Prague in 1943 and ordained a priest 1973.

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CONSISTORY FOR CANONIZATIONS TO TAKE PLACE ON FEBRUARY 26

VATICAN CITY, FEB 19, 2002 (VIS) - During the celebration of sext, the sixth hour, in the Clementine Hall of the apostolic palace at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, February 26, an ordinary public consistory will be held for the canonization of the following Blesseds:

Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, priest, founder of the Priestly Society of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei; Alonso de Orozco, priest of the Order of St. Augustine; Ignazio da Santhia (Lorenzo Maurizio Belvisotti), priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins; Pio da Pietralcina (Francesco Forgione), priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins; Pedro de San Jose de Betancur, religious of the Third Order of St. Francis, founder of the Bethlemite Brothers and the Bethlemite Sisters; Umile da Bisignano (Luca Antonio Pirozzo), religious of the Order of Friars Minor; Paulina do Coracao Agonizante de Jesus (Amabile Visintainer), virgin, founder of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Immaculate Conception; Benedetta Cambiagio Frassinello, religious, founder of the Institute of Benedictine Sisters of Providence; Juan Diego Cuauhlatoatzin, layman.

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ECCLESIAL COMMUNION ENLIVENS THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION

VATICAN CITY, FEB 16, 2002 (VIS) - This morning, the Pope met members of the Pontifical Theological Academy who are participating in their first international forum, the theme of which is: "Jesus Christ, Way, Truth and Life. Towards a rereading of 'Dominus Iesus'."

"The primary task of the Pontifical Theological Academy," said the Pope, "is to meditate on the mystery of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master, fullness of grace and truth."

The Holy Father affirmed that today "two aspects characterize the apostolate and the service of truth: the dynamic and the ecclesial." Comprehending the truth "implies the idea of travelling and, above all, of following; following Christ, way, truth and life. ... Theologians' free and independent research takes place within the boundaries of faith and of communion with the Church. ... Ecclesial communion, far from being a limit, is in reality a space that enlivens theological reflection."
"Catholic theologians are aware that the Magisterium is not extrinsic to truth and faith. Quite the contrary, as a constituent element of the Church, it is at the service of the Word of truth which safeguards against deviation and deformation, guaranteeing that the people of God are always guided and sustained by Christ-Truth. Thus, the relationship between magisterium and theological work is based on the principle of harmony. ... Where communion in faith is a question, the principle of unity in truth must be applied; where, on the other hand, there are diverging opinions, the principle of unity in charity holds good."

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JOHN PAUL II RECEIVES A COMMISSION ON DUNS SCOTUS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 16, 2002 (VIS) - This morning, John Paul II received the members of a commission on John Duns Scotus, the Franciscan theologian and philosopher. They presented the Holy Father with the eighth volume of their work, which includes book two of the "Ordinatio," considered to be Scotus' most important work.

In his address to the commission, the Holy Father affirmed that even today a "pillar of Catholic theology" is Duns Scotus' "splendid doctrine on the primacy of Christ; on the Immaculate Conception; on the primary value of the Revelation and the Magisterium of the Church; on the authority of the Pope, and on the possibility that human reason has, at least in part, of making the great truths of faith accessible and demonstrating that they are not contradictory."

The Pope further recalled that some years have passed since the commission began the task of revising the works (to date 12 volumes have been published) of the Franciscan philosopher. These works needed "to be freed from the many errors of copyists and interpolations of disciples. ... The task was entrusted by the minister general of the Order of Friars Minor and his Definitory to a team of scholars who took the name of the Scotus Commission." John Paul II praised the "commitment" with which the direct and indirect sources used by Scotus were identified. He affirmed: "I trust that the Scotus Commission may - in 2004, year of the 150th anniversary of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary - be able to publish volume 20. This will contain book three of the 'Lectura' (as yet unpublished) in which, for the first time, Duns Scotus defended Marian privilege, earning himself the title of 'Doctor of the Immaculate'."

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