OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, 22 APR 2008 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Fr. Hugo Nicolas Barbaro, spiritual director of the prelature of Opus Dei in Argentina, as bishop of the diocese of San Roque de Presidencia Roque Saenz Pena (area 71,303, population 495,000, Catholics 422,000, priests 37, permanent deacons 6, religious 126), Argentina. The bishop-elect was born in Vicente Lopez, Argentina in 1950 and ordained a priest in 1980. He succeeds Jose Lorenzo Sartori, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
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CARDINAL VINGT-TROIS, POSSESSION OF TITULAR CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, 22 APR 2008 (VIS) - The Office of the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff announced today that at 11 a.m. on Sunday 27 April Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, metropolitan archbishop of Paris, France, will take possession of the title of San Luigi dei Francesi, Largo Santa Giovanna d'Arco 5, Rome.
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FACING THE CONSEQUENCES OF RAPID URBANISATION

VATICAN CITY, 22 APR 2008 (VIS) - Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Holy See permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, delivered an address on 9 April before the 41st session of the Economic and Social Council's Commission on Population and Development.

  Speaking English, Archbishop Migliore said that "migration and the urbanisation of societies should not be purely measured in terms of their economic impact. In finding ways to address the serious challenges posed by massive internal and trans-national migrations, let us not forget that at the heart of this phenomenon is the human person".

  "New environmental, social and economic problems emerge with the birth of mega cities", he said. "But one of the most pressing and painful consequences of rapid urbanisation is the increasing number of people living in urban slums. As recently as 2005 over 840 million people around the world lived in such conditions".

  Such people, he warned, "become trapped in a vicious cycle of extreme poverty and marginalisation. ... They feel powerless to demand even the most basic public services" and "policy makers and civil society actors must put these people and their concerns among the priorities in their decision-making".

  "If", Archbishop Migliore concluded "we are to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, greater concern must be given to those communities, in which approximately 675 million still lack access to safe drinking water and two billion live without access to basic sanitation. National and international policies would do well to ensure that rural communities have access to higher quality and more accessible social services".
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PRIESTLY ORDINATION OF 29 DEACONS OF DIOCESE OF ROME

VATICAN CITY, 22 APR 2008 (VIS) - At 9.30 a.m. on Sunday 27 April, the Holy Father Benedict XVI is due to preside at Mass in the Vatican Basilica, during which he will confer priestly ordination upon 29 deacons of the diocese of Rome.
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ON WEDNESDAY, FUNERAL OF CARDINAL LOPEZ TRUJILLO

VATICAN CITY, 21 APR 2008 (VIS) - Benedict XVI has sent a telegram of condolence for the death of Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family. The cardinal died in Rome on Saturday 19 April at the age of 72.

  In his telegram, addressed to the late cardinal's brother Anibal, the Holy Father writes:

  "Having received the sad news of the death of the beloved Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to you, to your brothers Flavio and Asdrubal, and to all your relatives. I feel close to all of you at this painful time, and I ask God, by the intercession of Our Lady of Chiquinquira, to grant eternal repose to this tireless pastor, so generously committed to the service of the Church and of the Gospel of life.

  "His wide-ranging ministerial work - as priest and auxiliary bishop of Bogota, as archbishop of Medellin, secretary and president of the Latin American Episcopal Council, president of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia and, finally, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family - is clear evidence of his profound love for the Church and his dedication to the noble cause of promoting marriage and the Christian family.

  "At this time, I am pleased to grant you a comforting Apostolic Blessing, which I happily extend to all those who helped him, and to the bishops, priests, religious communities and faithful who accompanied him closely with their friendship and collaboration".

  At the altar of the Cathedra in the Vatican Basilica at 11 a.m. on Wednesday 23 April, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, will celebrate Mass with other members of the college.

  The Pope will then preside at the funeral liturgy, pronounce the homily, and administer the rites of "Ultima Commendatio" and of "Valedictio".
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