OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 17, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Fr. Pedro Brito Guimaraes, rector of the major regional seminary of Teresina, Brazil, as bishop of Sao Raimundo Nonato (area 39,316, population 175,169, Catholics 170,000, priests 19, religious 22), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born in Buriti, Brazil in 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1986. He succeeds Bishop Candido Lorenzo Gonzalez, O. M., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Accepted the resignation presented by Bishop Reginald Michael Cawcutt, auxiliary of the archdiocese of Cape Town, South Africa, in accordance with Canons 401, para. 2, and 411 of the Code of Canon Law.

- Appointed Bishop Joao Braz de Aviz of Ponta Grossa, Brazil, as metropolitan archbishop of Maringa (area 6,294, population 603,387, Catholics 452,541, priests 59, permanent deacons 3, religious 180), Brazil.

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GENERAL AUDIENCE: GLORIFICATION OF GOD, LORD AND CREATOR

VATICAN CITY, JUL 17, 2002 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience, celebrated in the courtyard of the apostolic palace at Castelgandolfo, the Pope spoke about Psalm 148, "Glorification of God, Lord and Creator".

John Paul II affirmed that this psalm is "a true 'canticle of creatures', a sort of 'Te Deum' of the Old Testament, a cosmic alleluia in which everything and everyone praises the Lord."

"In heaven," he said, "we find singers of the starlit universe. ... The procession continues with the creatures of the atmosphere" and "the mountains and hills, commonly considered the oldest creatures of the earth. ... Finally, there is man who presides at the liturgy of creation."

The Holy Father indicated that "we too are invited to join this immense chorus, becoming an outspoken voice for all creatures and praising God in the two fundamental dimensions of his mystery. On the one hand, we must adore his transcendental grandeur. ... On the other hand, we recognize his kindness because God is close to his creatures and helps especially his people."

After greeting the 4,000 pilgrims present in different languages, the Pope referred to the up-coming World Youth Day and asked for prayers "so that it may be a propitious occasion to experience the joy of being true witnesses of Christ."

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WORLD CONGRESS OF CATHOLIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 16, 2002 (VIS) - Archbishop Javier Lozano Barragan will participate in the 21st World Congress of the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations (FIAMC) that will take place from September 1 to 4 in Seoul, Korea. The theme of the congress is: "Identity and mission of Catholic Doctors in Health Care."

Archbishop Lozano, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care Ministry, will address participants at the beginning of the meeting and will read a message from John Paul II, written for the occasion. In addition to an inaugural session, four scientific sessions are scheduled on the following topics: "Church and Health Care: Ethos and Ethics"; "The Mission of the Catholic Doctor"; "Overseas Medical Mission: The Witness of Catholic Doctors in the Field of International Health Care Cooperation" and "Catholic Church and Managed Care."

Currently, 52 countries form part of the FIAMC and among their objectives is the promotion of the meeting of medical professionals from all over the world. At the conference in September in Seoul, almost all the delegates of the international associations of Catholic doctors of these 52 countries will be represented.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 16, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Philippe Barbarin of Moulins, France as metropolitan archbishop of Lyon (area 5,087, population 1,725,300, Catholics 1,200,000, priests 878, permanent deacons 46, religious 2,489), France.

- Appointed Bishop Ramon Antonio Linares Sandoval of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, as bishop of Barinas (area 35,200, population 557,896, Catholics 400,000, priests 44, religious 47), Venezuela.

- Appointed Bishop Octavio Ruiz Arenas, auxiliary of Bogota, Colombia, as bishop of Villavicencio (area 65,470, population 512,320, Catholics 491,217, priests 140, permanent deacons 13, religious 117), Colombia.

- Appointed Bishop Arthur Roche, auxiliary of Westminster, England, as coadjutor of Leeds (area 4,075, population 2,000,000, Catholics 157,957, priests 193, permanent deacons 19, religious 203), England.

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OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, JUL 13, 2002 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Hugo Barrantes Urena of Puntarenas, Costa Rica, as metropolitan archbishop of San Jose de Costa Rica (area 3,758, population 2,761,910, Catholics 2,347,623, priests 376, religious 721), Costa Rica. He succeeds Archbishop Roman Arrieta Villalobos whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same archdiocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Vittorino Girardi, M.C.C.I., professor at the Catholic University of Costa Rica, as bishop of Tilaran (area 11,736, population 347,000, Catholics 338,000, priests 57, religious 44), Costa Rica. The bishop-elect was born in 1938 in Lendinaria, Italy and was ordained a priest in 1963. He succeeds Bishop Hector Morera Vega whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted upon having reached the age limit.

- Accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of San Jose de Costa Rica, Costa Rica, presented by Bishop Antonio Troyo Calderon upon having reached the age limit.

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