OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 22, 1999 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Canons Antonio Maria Bessa Taipa and Antonio Jose Cavaco Carrilho, as auxiliary bishops of the diocese of Porto (area 3,010, population 2,266,000, Catholics 1,940,000, priests 601, religious 1,574), Portugal. Bishop-elect Antonio Maria Bessa Taipa was born in Freamunde, Portugal, in 1942, was ordained a priest in 1966 and since 1979 has been rector of the major seminary and pro-vicar general of the diocese. Bishop-elect Antonio Jose Cavaco Carrilho was born in St. Clemente, Portugal, in 1942, was ordained a priest in 1965, and since 1994 has been director of the general secretariat of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference.

- Adopted the following dispositions for Zimbabwe:

- Appointed Fr. Robert Christopher Ndlovu as bishop of Hwange (area 43,427, population 324,609, Catholics 31,230, priests 26, religious 91). The bishop-elect was born in Thsongokwe, Zimbabwe, in 1955, was ordained a priest in 1983, and since 1993 has been rector of the Major Seminary of Chishawasha. He succeeds Bishop Ignacio Prieto Vega, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Hwange was accepted by the Holy Father, on having reached the age limit.

- Erected the diocese of Masvingo (area 70,000, population 1,180,000, Catholics 102,000, priests 43, religious 142) with territory taken from the diocese of Gweru, making it suffragan to the Metropolitan Church of Bulawayo. Bishop Michael Dixon Bhasera of Gokwe was appointed as first bishop of Masvingo.

On Saturday February 20, it was made public that the Holy Father appointed Bishop Arrigo Miglio of Iglesias, as bishop of Ivrea (area 1,850, population 206,883, Catholics 205,173, priests 207, religious 521), Italy. He succeeds Bishop Luigi Bettazzi whose resignation from the pastoral care of this diocese was accepted by the Holy Father on having reached the age limit.
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