OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 23, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. Mario Ceccobelli, vicar general of the archdiocese of Perugia-Citta della Pieve, Italy, as bishop of Gubbio (area 900, population 48,000, Catholics 47,200, priests 51, permanent deacons 7, religious 107).  The bishop-elect was born in Marsciano, Italy in 1941 and was ordained a priest in 1966.  He succeeds Bishop Pietro Bottaccioli whose resignation was accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, as his special envoy for the celebrations of the 13th World Day of the Sick which will take place in Yaounde, Cameroon on February 9-11, 2005.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, DEC 23, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

- His Beatitude Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

- Hansrudolf Hoffmann, ambassador of Switzerland on his farewell visit.
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 22, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Sebastiao Bandeira Coelho, rector of the major seminary of the diocese of Balsas, as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Manaus (area 64,079, population 1,405,835, Catholics 1,200,000, priests 122, religious 266), Brazil.  The bishop-elect was born in Riacao, Brazil in 1959 and was ordained a priest in 1984.
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GOD IS BORN TO SHARE OUR FRAGILE HUMAN CONDITION

VATICAN CITY, DEC 22, 2004 (VIS) -  In today's general audience, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father spoke about the mystery of Christmas.

  John Paul II said that "during these days of preparation for Christmas we pray continually in the liturgy 'Come Lord Jesus'."

  "On Christmas," he continued, "we contemplate the great mystery of God becoming man in the Virgin's womb.  He is born in Bethlehem to share our fragile human condition! He comes among us and brings salvation to the whole world.  His mission will be to reunite all human beings and peoples in the one family of the children of God.  We can say that in the mystery of Christmas, we contemplate the 'leap forward' in the history of salvation."

  The Pope emphasized that "in Christ we are offered the gift of a new and fuller communion with Him.  Hope springs up in our hearts, and the gates of heaven are opened for us."

  The Holy Father concluded by expressing his desire that "the celebration of Christmas may be a propitious occasion to truly live the value and meaning of the great event of Jesus' birth."
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2004 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Maurice Gardes, episcopal vicar and archdeacon of Roannais, France, as archbishop of Auch (area 6,261, population 172,335, Catholics 152,500, priests 107, permanent deacons 7, religious 187), France. The archbishop-elect was born in 1945 in Lyon, France and was ordained a priest in 1975. He succeeds Archbishop Maurice Frechard whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese was accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Bishop Manuel da Rocha Felicio, auxiliary of Lisbon, Portugal, as coadjutor bishop of Guarda (area 6,758, population 265,000, Catholics 250,000, priests 186, religious 50), Portugal.

- Appointed Msgr. Antonio Francisco dos Santos, pro-vicar general of the diocese of Lamego, Portugal, as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Braga, Portugal. The bishop-elect was born in 1948 in Tendasi, Portugal and was ordained a priest in 1972.
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