AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, 5 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 - Cardinal Francis Arinze, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

 - Six prelates from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Archbishop John Ha Tiong Hock of Kuching, Malaysia, accompanied by Archbishop emeritus Peter Chung Hoan Ting.

    - Bishop Cornelius Piong of Keningau, Malaysia.

    - Bishop John Lee Hiong Fun-Yit Yaw of Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

    - Bishop Anthony Lee Kok Hin of Miri, Malaysia.

    - Bishop Dominic Su Haw Chiu of Sibu, Malaysia.
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OFFICIAL VISIT OF CARDINAL BERTONE TO BELARUS

VATICAN CITY, 5 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:

  "From 18 to 22 June, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., will make an official visit to the Republic of Belarus.

  "During his stay, Cardinal Bertone will encounter members of the government, preside at liturgical celebrations and other moments of prayer in the archdiocese of Minsk-Mohilev and in the dioceses of Pinsk and Grodno, and meet with members of the Belarusian Catholic Episcopal Conference.
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POPE TO INAUGURATE THE ECCLESIAL CONGRESS OF HIS DIOCESE

VATICAN CITY, 5 JUN 2008 (VIS) - In the basilica of St. John Lateran, cathedral of Rome, at 7.30 p.m. on Monday 9 June, Benedict XVI will inaugurate the ecclesial congress of the diocese of Rome, which due to run from 9 to 12 June on the theme: "Jesus has risen. Educating for hope in prayer, in action and in suffering".

  According to a communique issued by the Vicariate of Rome, pastors, priests, religious and above all lay people and youth from diocesan parishes, associations and movements are all invited to attend. The three days of reflection are also scheduled to involve the preparation of the pastoral programme for the coming year.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 4 JUN 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Appointed Bishop Domingo Diaz Martinez of Tuxpan, Mexico, as metropolitan archbishop of Tulancingo (area 10,696, population 1,477,935, Catholics 1,344,921, priests 174, permanent deacons 2, religious 198), Mexico. The archbishop-elect was born in Queretaro, Mexico in 1948, he was ordained a priest in 1977 and consecrated a bishop in 2002. He succeeds Archbishop Pedro Aranda Diaz-Munoz, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.

 - Appointed Msgr. Paul Ssmogerere, vicar general of Kampala, Uganda, as bishop of Kasana-Luweero (area 8,539, population 682,874, Catholics 209,792, priests 53, religious 64), Uganda. The bishop-elect was born in Kusubi, Uganda in 1956 and ordained a priest in 1983.
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POPE RECALLS ST. FRANCIS CARACCIOLO AND BLESSED JOHN XXIII

VATICAN CITY, 4 JUN 2008 (VIS) - At the end of today's general audience, the Pope addressed some remarks to participants in a pilgrimage being promoted by the Order of Minor Clerks Regular to mark the end of celebrations for the fourth centenary of the death of their founder, St. Francis Caracciolo (1563-1608).

  "Dear friends", said the Pope, "I hope that this important occasion many contribute to renewing in everyone the living desire to serve Christ, following the teachings of this great saint who was a lover of the Eucharist, a humble servant of the poor, and an ascetic constantly immersed in contemplation of the Crucified Christ".

  The Holy Father then turned to greet Polish pilgrims, recalling that yesterday marked the 45th anniversary of the death of Blessed John XXIII "whom people called 'John the Good' or 'Good Pope John'. It was he who called Vatican Council II which began the renewal of the Church, the reform of her structures and the 'aggiornamento' of her liturgy. May this reform", Benedict XVI concluded, "produce fruits in us and in the Church of the third millennium".
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