VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXII - N° 66   
   DATE 08-04-2014   
      
   Summary:   
   - POPE FRANCIS RECEIVES IN AUDIENCE KING ABDULLAH II OF JORDAN   
   - THE POPE EMPHASISES THE AFFECTIVE AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNION OF THE SYNOD OF   
   BISHOPS   
   - OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
      
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    POPE FRANCIS RECEIVES IN AUDIENCE KING ABDULLAH II OF JORDAN   
   Vatican City, 8 April 2014 (VIS) ? His Majesty the King Abdullah II bin   
   Hussein of Jordan arrived in Vatican City shortly before 4 p.m. yesterday.   
   Upon arrival at the Domus Sanctae Marthae he was received by the prefect of   
   the Pontifical Household, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, and the head of   
   Protocol, Msgr. Jose Avelino Bettencourt, and in the entry hall he was greeted   
   by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Dominique   
   Mamberti.   
   The Holy Father received His Majesty the King, accompanied by Prince Ghazi bin   
   Muhammed, his advisor on religious affairs, at the entrance of the ground   
   floor drawing room, where the meeting took place, attended also by a Vatican   
   English-language interpreter. The conversation lasted for a total of just over   
   forty minutes, and the atmosphere was cordial and informal.   
   The visit took place in the period precedingPope Francis' trip to the Holy   
   Land, where he will visit Jordan, and His Majesty reaffirmed the sentiments   
   with which the people of Jordan are preparing to welcome the Pope and their   
   open willingness to collaborate in the commitment for peace and interreligious   
   dialogue.   
   Finally, the Holy Father also greeted the other members of the retinue, and   
   the guests left the Vatican at around 4.45 p.m.   
      
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    THE POPE EMPHASISES THE AFFECTIVE AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNION OF THE SYNOD OF   
   BISHOPS   
   Vatican City, 8 April 2014 (VIS) ? The Holy Father has written a message to   
   Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, on the   
   occasion of the elevation to the episcopal order of Msgr. Fabio Fabene,   
   under-secretary of the Synod.   
   ?Almost fifty years have passed since the institution of the Synod of   
   Bishops?, the Pope writes, ?and aware that, for the exercise of the Petrine   
   Ministry it is necessary, as never before, to further revive the close bond   
   with all Pastors of the Church, I wish to enhance the value of this valuable   
   conciliar legacy. In this regard, there is no doubt that the Bishop of Rome   
   needs the presence of his brother Bishops, their counsel, their prudence and   
   their experience. ? Therefore, I am most grateful to those who, with generous,   
   diligent and competent work throughout these years, have ensured thatthe Synod   
   contributes to the indispensable dialogue between Peter and his brethren. ?   
   Now, in order to underline the valuable service that this Organ carries out in   
   promoting episcopal collegiality with the Bishop of Rome, I have decided to   
   confer the dignity of episcopal rank to the under-secretary.   
   ?Thereby the under-secretary, who already collaborates with Your Eminence with   
   regard to the development of synodal activity, by virtue of the episcopal   
   Order will reflect the affective and effective that is the main objective of   
   the Synod of Bishops. Also in coordinating work within the secretariat   
   general, the under-secretary will be required to express the fertile and   
   fruitful consequences of participation in the episcopal 'munus', a source of   
   sanctification for those who surround it and the foundation of the   
   hierarchical communion with the Bishop of Rome, and with the head and members   
   of the Episcopal College?.   
      
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    OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
   Vatican City, 8 April 2014 (VIS) ? The Holy Father has:   
   - appointed Bishop William Terrence McGrattan, auxiliary of Toronto, Canada,   
   as bishop of Peterborough (area 25,900, population 437,300, priests 83,   
   permanent deacons 8, religious 104), Canada. He succeeds Bishop Nicola De   
   Angelis, C.F.I.C., whose resignation upon reaching the age limit was accepted   
   by the Holy Father.   
   - elevated Msgr. Fabio Febene, under secretary of the Synod of Bishops, to the   
   dignity of bishop. The bishop-elect was born in Rome, Italy in 1959, and was   
   ordained a priest in 1984. He holds a doctorate in canon law from the Lateran   
   Pontifical University. He has served in a number of pastoral, administrative   
   roles, including priest of the parish of Santa Maria del Giglio in   
   Montefiascone and episcopal chancellor; office head of the Congregation for   
   Bishops; and external judge of the Tribunal of First Instance for causes   
   ofnullity of marriage for the Latium region, at the Ordinary Tribunal of the   
   diocese of Rome. He was named Prelate of His Holiness in 2012, and was   
   appointed as under-secretary of the Synod of Bishops in 2014.   
      
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   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Meridian MS=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)