OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JAN 22, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Odilon Guimaraes Moreira, auxiliary of Vitoria, Brazil as bishop of Itabira-Fabriciano (area 8,724, population 800,000, Catholics 600,000, priests 54, religious 88), Brazil.

- Bishop Augusto Jose Zini Filho, auxiliary of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as bishop of Limeira (area 4,958, population 1,325,000, Catholics 1,010,000, priests 83, religious 160), Brazil.

- Fr. Assis Lopes, rector of the Major Seminary in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil as auxiliary of the archdiocese of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1934 and was ordained a priest in 1968.

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TELEGRAM FOR EARTHQUAKE IN MEXICO

VATICAN CITY, JAN 22, 2003 (VIS) - The following telegram was sent by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of state, in the name of Pope John Paul II to Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, apostolic nuncio in Mexico, for the earthquake that struck the states of Colima and Jalisco last evening, local time:

"The Holy Father, John Paul II, deeply distressed upon learning the sad news of the earthquake in the state of Colima, which has produced so many victims and injured and such grave material damage, offers prayers for the eternal repose of the souls of those who died and raises his fervent prayers so that the Lord may grant His consolation to those affected by this tragedy and that He may inspire in everyone sentiments of solidarity to overcome adversity, encouraged by moral values always open to hope. In addition, I ask Your Excellency to convey the Holy Father's condolences to the family members and to express to those who have been injured his paternal solicitude and sentiments of closeness, at the same time as he encourages institutions and men of good will to provide effective help in these difficult moments with a generous spirit and Christian charity, while he sends his consoling and heartfelt apostolic blessing as a sign of affection to the beloved Mexican people."

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FOURTH WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES STARTS TOMORROW IN MANILA

VATICAN CITY, JAN 21, 2003 (VIS) - The Fourth World Meeting of Families, promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Family, starts tomorrow in Manila, the Philippines on the theme chosen by Pope John Paul, "The Christian Family: Good News for the Third Millennium." The Pope's special envoy to the five-day encounter is Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, council president.

The three previous meetings took place in 1994 in Rome, 1997 in Rio de Janeiro and again in Rome during the Jubilee Year 2000. A communique from the pontifical council states that massive numbers of participants are expected at the encounter, whose logistics are being taken care of by the archdiocese of Manila. Delegates from 75 countries have registered: The largest number is expected to come from the Philippines.

January 22-24 will be dedicated to an International Pastoral Theological Congress on the theme of the world encounter. A separate congress for children and young people, expected to draw 1,000 people, will be held at the same time.

On Saturday, January 25 Eucharistic celebrations will be held for diverse language groups in 16 churches in Manila. That same afternoon there will be the encounter of witnessing and testimonials and the festival of families, including a live television linkup with Pope John Paul in Rome, who will address the families present in Manila.

Cardinal Lopez Trujillo will preside at the concluding Eucharistic celebration on Sunday, January 26.

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POPE TO CONCLUDE THE WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY

VATICAN CITY, JAN 21, 2003 (VIS) - On Saturday January 25 at 6 p.m. in the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls, the Pope will preside at a celebration of second vespers for the Solemnity of the Conversion of St. Paul in conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity whose theme is: "A treasure in earthen vessels."

According to a communique from the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, representatives from other churches and ecclesiastical communities present in Rome will participate in the celebration. In addition, the clergy and faithful of the diocese of Rome have been specially invited.

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JOHN PAUL II BLESSES BABY LAMBS ON FEAST OF ST. AGNES

VATICAN CITY, JAN 21, 2003 (VIS) - This morning in the Apostolic Palace, following a centuries-old tradition, Pope John Paul blessed several lambs whose wool will be used to make the palliums bestowed on new metropolitan archbishops on the June 29 feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles.

In a 1978 document, "Inter Eximina Episcopalis," Pope Paul VI restricted use of the pallium to the Pope and to metropolitan archbishops. In 1984 John Paul II decreed that the pallium would be conferred on the metropolitans on the June 29th solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.

The custom of blessing the lambs takes place every year on the January 21 liturgical memory of St. Agnes, a virgin who suffered martyrdom about 305 A.D. and whose symbol is a lamb. She is buried in the basilica named for her in Rome on the Via Nomentana and after the papal blessing the lambs are brought to this basilica.

The lambs are raised by the Trappist Fathers of the Abbey of the Three Fountains and the palliums are made by the Sisters of St. Cecelia from the newly-shorn wool.

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