COMMUNIQUE OF THE HOLY SEE PRESS OFFICE

Vatican City, 9 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique yesterday afternoon:

"The Holy See was surprised and concerned to learn of recent developments involving Professor Gotti Tedeschi. It has the greatest confidence that the Italian judicial authorities will honour and respect the sovereign prerogatives which the Holy See is recognised as having under international law.

"Moreover the Holy See confirms its complete confidence in the people who, with great commitment and professionalism, dedicate their labours to the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), and it is carefully examining the possibility that any harm, to its own rights or to those of its institutions, may have arisen from the current circumstances.

"Finally, it must be reiterated that the motion of no confidence passed against Professor Gotti Tedeschi by the Administrative Board of the IOR was founded on objective reasons concerning the governance of the IOR. It was not determined by any purported opposition to the policy of transparency which, in fact, the Holy See authorities and the IOR itself have very much to heart".

CARDINAL BERTELLO, SPECIAL ENVOY TO CAMALDOLI JUBILEE

Vatican City, 9 June 2012 (VIS) - Made public today was the letter in which the Holy Father appoints Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and of the Governorate of Vatican City State, as his special envoy to celebrations marking the millennium of the foundation of the Holy Hermitage of Camaldoli, Italy, due to take place on 19 June.

The names of the priests who will accompany Cardinal Bertello on his mission were also made public. They are: Fr. Giuseppe Cicchi O.S.B. Cam., member of the general council and vice prior of the monastery of Camaldoli, and Fr. Roberto Fornaciari O.S.B. Cam., professor at the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences of Arezzo and secretary of the jubilee celebrations at the Holy Hermitage.

AUDIENCES

Vatican City, 11 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in audience Miltiadis Hiskakis, ambassador of Greece, on his farewell visit.

On Saturday 9 June he received in audience:

- Ten prelates of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, on their "ad limina" visit

- Archbishop Stephen Joseph Reichert O.F.M. Cap. of Madang.

- Bishop Otto Separy of Aitape.

- Bishop Christian Blouin C.M.M. of Lae.

- Bishop Cesare Bonivento P.I.M.E. of Vanimo.

- Bishop Anthony John Burgess of Wewak.

- Archbishop Douglas Young S.V.D. of Mount Hagen.

- Bishop Francesco Sarego S.V.D. of Goroka.

- Bishop Anton Bal of Kundiawa.

- Bishop Donald Lippert O.F.M. Cap. of Mendi.

- Bishop Arnold Orowae of Wabag.

- Cardinal William Joseph Levada and Archbishop Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer S.J., respectively prefect and secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 11 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed:

- Bishop Fabio Duque Jaramillo O.F.M. of Armenia, Colombia, as bishop of Garzon (area 9,667, population 542,000, Catholics 522,000, priests 111, religious 144), Colombia.

- Fr. Constantino Barrera Morales of the clergy of the diocese of San Vicente, El Salvador, rector of the major national seminary "San Jose de la Montana", as bishop of Sonsonate (area 1,225, population 551,000, Catholics 441,000, priests 47, religious 61), El Salvador. The bishop-elect was born in Canton Rojita, El Salvador in 1963 and ordained a priest in 1990. He studied in El Salvador and in Spain, and has worked in pastoral care in parishes and as vicar forane.

On Saturday 9 June it was made public that the Holy Father:

- Appointed Msgr. Max Leroy Mesidor of the clergy of the diocese of Les Gonaives, Haiti, vicar general and pastor of the cathedral, as bishop of Fort-Liberte (area 1,600, population 480,000, Catholics 345,600, priests 46, religious 78), Haiti. The bishop-elect was born in Saint-Marc, Haiti in 1962 and ordained a priest in 1988. He has served as pastor in a number of different parishes and presides the diocesan commissions for catechises and for the liturgy.

- Appointed Msgr. Juan Antonio Anarez Cobo, vicar general of the archdiocese of Pamplona and Tudela, Spain, as auxiliary of the same archdiocese (area 10,421, population 636,924, Catholics 629,094, priests 674, permanent deacons 2, religious 1,975). The bishop-elect was born in Eibar, Spain in 1961 and ordained a priest in 1990. He studied in Spain and in Rome and, apart from working as pastor in various parishes, is professor of Sacred Scripture at, among other places, the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre.

- Accepted the resignation from the office of librarian and archivist of Holy Roman Church presented by Cardinal Raffaele Farina S.D.B., upon having reached the age limit.

THE CHURCH IS COMMITTED TO THE COMMON GOOD IN SRI LANKA

Vatican City, 8 June 2012 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office released the following communique at midday today:

"This morning the Holy Father Benedict XVI received in audience Mahinda Rajapaksa, president of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The president subsequently went on to meet with Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States.

"During the cordial discussions the parties illustrated the steps taken to favour socio-economic development, and reconciliation among the communities hit by the long internal conflict which has affected the country. The hope was expressed that a global joint solution may soon be found corresponding to the legitimate expectations of all the parties involved.

"Finally, emphasis was given to to how the Catholic Church - which makes an important contribution to the life of the country with her religious witness and educational, healthcare and social assistance activities - will continue to commit herself to the common good, reciprocal understanding and the integral development of all citizens".