POPE FRANCIS EXPRESSES CONCERN FOR THE UNEMPLOYED

Vatican City, 23 April 2014 (VIS) – Following today's general audience, the Holy Father launched an appeal for the workers of the Lucchini steelworks in Piombino, which closed down a few days ago causing mass layoffs. Pope Francis urged them not to despair, remarking that “when human hopes are extinguished, the divine hope that never disappoints always remains alive”. He appealed to those in positions of responsibility to use all their creativity and generosity “to reignite hope in the hearts of our brothers and sisters and in the hearts of all those who have been left jobless as a result of waste and the economic crisis. Please, open your eyes and don’t stand there with your arms crossed!”

CARDINAL OUEDRAOGO TAKES POSSESSION OF HIS TITULAR CHURCH

Vatican City, 24 April 2014 (VIS) – The Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff today announced that on Sunday, 27 April, at 6 p.m., Cardinal Philippe Nakellentuba Ouedraogo, archbishop of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, will take possession of the title of St. Mary the Consoler at Tiburtino (Via de Casal Bertone, 80).

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 24 April 2014 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father received in audience:

- Fourteen prelates of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference on their “ad limina” visit:

- Archbishop Jabulani Adatus Nxumalo of Bloemfontaine;

- Bishop Jan de Groef of Bethlehem;

- Bishop Edward Gabriele Risi of Keimoes-Upington;

- Bishop Abel Gabuza of Kimberley;

- Bishop Peter John Holiday of Kroonstad;

- Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town;

- Bishop Michael Wusternberg of Aliwal;

- Bishop Adam Leszek Musialek of De Aar;

- Bishop Francisco Fortunato De Gouveia of Oudtshoorn;

- Bishop Vincent Mduduzi Zungu of Port Elizabeth;

- Bishop Dabula Anton Mpako of Queenstown;

- Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, archbishop of Durban, with his auxiliary Bishop Barry Alexander Anthony Wood;

- Bishop Thomas Graham Rose of Dundee.

- Bishop Lazzaro You Heung-sik of Daejeon, South Korea.

- Cardinal Beniamino Stella, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 24 April 2014 (VIS) – On Friday 18 the Holy Father accepted the resignation of Rev. Dom Umberto Beda Paluzzi, O.S.B., from the pastoral care of the territorial abbey of Montevergine in Italy, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

On Thursday, 17 April, the Holy Father:

- appointed Rev. Jose Augusto Traquina Maria as auxiliary of the patriarchate of Lisbon (area 3,735, population 2,237,000, Catholics 1,871,000, priests 551, permanent deacons 86, religious 1,516), Portugal. The bishop-elect was born in Alcobaca, Portugal in 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1985. He holds a licentiate in theology from the Portuguese Catholic University. He has held a number of pastoral roles, including canon of the Cathedral of Lisbon, vicar, coordinator of the permanent secretariat of the diocesan presbyteral council, and spiritual director.

- appointed Jose Trinidad Fernandez Angulo as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Caracas (area 991, population 4,644,000, Catholics 3,960,000, priests 490, permanent deacons 9, religious 1,597), Venezuela. The bishop-elect was born in Merida, Venezuela in 1964 and was ordained a priest in 1989. He holds a licentiate in philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and has held a number of pastoral roles, including director of studies, deputy director of various seminaries, and professor.

- Rev. Can. Francisco Jose Villas-Boas Senra de Faria Coelho, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Braga (area 2,857, population 964,800, Catholics 886,700, priests 465, permanent deacons 12, religious 676), Portugal. The bishop-elect was born in Mozambique in 1961 and was ordained a priest in 1986. He studied theology and philosophy, and holds a licentiate in history of the Church from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. In 2008 he was awarded a doctorate from the Phoenix International University in the U.S.A. During his pastoral ministry he has served as a professor of theology, spiritual director, canon of the Cathedral, parish priest and religious assistant.

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