OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 7, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

 - Fr. Maximino Martinez Miranda of the clergy of the diocese of Atlacomulco, Mexico, vicar general and pastor of the parish of "Santa Maria de Guadalupe," as bishop of Ciudad Altamirano (area 16,000, population 903,000, Catholics 876,000, priests 61, religious 86), Mexico. The bishop-elect was born in Palos Altos, Mexico in 1951 and ordained a priest in 1979.

 - Fr. George Frendo O.P., vicar general, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Tirane-Durres (area 2,263, population 1,200,000, Catholics 105,800, priests 38, religious 152), Albania. The bishop-elect was born in Qormi, Malta in 1946 and ordained a priest in 1969.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUL 7, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 - Cardinal Godfried Danneels, archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, Belgium.

- Five prelates from the Croatian Bishops' Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop Slobodan Stambuk of Hvar.

    - Bishop Ante Ivas of Sibenik.

    - Bishop Antun Skvorcevic of Pozega.

    - Bishop Juraj Jezerinac, military ordinary.

    - Msgr. Ivan Godina, vicar general of Varazdin.
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HUMAN DIGNITY AND DEVELOPMENT

VATICAN CITY, JUL 7, 2006 (VIS) - On July 5, Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi C.S., permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and International Institutions in Geneva, delivered an address before the 2006 Meeting of the High Level Segment of ECOSOC (United Nations Economic and Social Council).

  The meeting is considering the theme of "creating an environment at the national and international levels conducive to generating full and productive employment and decent work for all, and its impact on sustainable development."

  Archbishop Tomasi's own contribution focussed on the idea that "the dignity of the person is what gives work and development their true value." The Holy See delegation, he said speaking English, fully endorses "the goal of equitable development regularly pursued by the Economic and Social Council," because it "highlights the central place of the human person, the value of human work, and this indicates the way to overcome chronic poverty and marginality."

  After recalling how the fact that so many people fail to find work risks frustrating the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, the archbishop observed that "this frustration may provoke disorderly behavior and, surely, a less secure world." In this context, he recalled the words of Pope Paul VI in 1967: "Development is the new name of peace."

  "Local involvement can propel the economy forward," said the Holy See permanent observer. "Step by step poverty is reduced, emigration becomes an option instead of a necessity, social standards begin to develop, people are lifted out of a vicious circle of misery. ... Assistance for capacity building will have to be adapted to the level of development of each country. In this way, a waste of resources will be avoided. Donors will see their solidarity fruitful for the receiving countries and, in the long run, also for themselves."

  He went on: "In our present interconnectedness, to the necessity of preparing products for the global market corresponds the responsibility to help the people of the least developed societies to have the training and the know-how that allow them a fair chance to compete."

  "When the process of transformation of society takes hold, decent work contributes another important dimension, that of a sense of future ... and self-respect. ...Children are not forced to work and instead can accede to education , the values of organization and participation are learned."

  "If the Doha trade round negotiations fail to conclude with some positive agreements," Archbishop Tomasi concluded, "the world's poor and hungry will pay most of the price and the chance for their growth, their development and for decent work will vanish for a long time. The courage and political imagination to make the necessary compromises can lead instead to a renewal of common action and show a concrete commitment to the elimination of global poverty which is still a scandal and a threat to peace and security."
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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

 - Accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Ratnapura, Sri Lanka, presented by Bishop Ivan Tilak Jayasundera, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.

 - Appointed Fr. Gregory O'Kelly S.J., headmaster of the St. Ignatius College in Athelstone, Australia, as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Adelaide (area 103,600, population 1,290,786, Catholics 275,174, priests 156, permanent deacons 3, religious 445), Australia. The bishop-elect was born in Adelaide in 1941 and ordained a priest in 1972.

 - Appointed Fr. Markus Buchel of the clergy of the diocese of Sankt Gallen, Switzerland, dean of the cathedral chapter, as bishop of the same diocese (area 2,429, population 461,180, Catholics 268,555, priests 229, permanent deacons 19, religious 670). The bishop-elect was born in Ruthi, Switzerland in 1949 and ordained a priest in 1976.
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AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, JUL 6, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate audiences:

 - Cardinal Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See.

 - Nine prelates from the Croatian Bishops' Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Cardinal Josip Bozanic, archbishop of Zagreb, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Josip Mrzljak, Vlado Kosic, and Valentin Pozaic S.J.

    - Bishop Slavomir Miklovs of Krizevci for Catholics of the Byzantine Rite.

    - Bishop Marin Srakic of Djakovo i Srijem, accompanied by Auxiliary Bishops Djuro Gasparovic and Djuro Hranic.

    - Archbishop Marin Barisic of Split-Makarska.

  This evening, he is scheduled to receive in audience three prelates from the Croatian Bishops' Conference, on their "ad limina" visit:

    - Bishop Mile Bogovic of Gospic-Senj.

    - Bishop Valter Zupan of Krk.

    - Bishop Zelimir Puljic of Dubrovnik.
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