There are a growing number of Christian associations that organise   
   responsible tourism to less developed destinations as well as those that   
   promote the so-called 'solidarity or volunteer tourism' which enable people to   
   put their vacation time to good use on a project in developing countries.   
    Also worth mentioning are programs for sustainable and equitable tourism in   
   disadvantaged areas promoted by Episcopal Conferences, dioceses or religious   
   congregations, which accompany local communities, helping them to create   
   opportunities for reflection, promoting education and training, giving advice   
   and collaborating on project design and encouraging dialogue with the   
   authorities and other groups. This type of experience has led to the creation   
   of a tourism managed by local communities, through partnerships and   
   specialised micro tourism (accommodation, restaurants, guides, craft   
   production, etc.).   
    Beyond this, there are many parishes in tourist destinations that host   
   visitors, offering liturgical, educational and cultural events, with the hope   
   that the holidays 'are of benefit to their human and spiritual growth, in the   
   firm conviction that even in this time we cannot forget God who never forgets   
   us'. To do this, parishes seek to develop a 'friendly pastoral care' which   
   allows them to welcome people with a spirit of openness and fraternity, and   
   project the image of a lively and welcoming community. And for this   
   hospitality to be more effective, we need to create a more effective   
   collaboration with other relevant sectors.   
    These pastoral proposals are becoming more important, especially as a type of   
   'experiential' tourism grows. This type of tourism seeks to establish links   
   with local people and enable visitors to feel like another member of the   
   community, participating in their daily lives, placing value on contact and   
   dialogue.   
    The Church's involvement in the field of tourism has resulted in numerous   
   projects, emerging from a multitude of experiences thanks to the effort,   
   enthusiasm and creativity of so many priests, religious and lay people who   
   work for the socio-economic, cultural and spiritual development of the local   
   community, and help them to look with hope to the future.   
    In recognition that its primary mission is evangelisation, the Church offers   
   its often humble collaboration to respond to the specific circumstances of   
   people, especially the most needy. And this, from the conviction that 'we also   
   evangelise when we attempt to confront the various challenges which can   
   arise'."   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
    OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS   
    Vatican City, July 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has:   
    - appointed Archbishop Anselmo Guido Pecorari, apostolic nuncio in Bulgaria,   
   as apostolic nuncio in Macedonia.   
    - appointed Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki as metropolitan archbishop of Koln   
   (area 6,181, population 5,417,865, Catholics 2,069,152, priests 1,033,   
   permanent deacons 309, religious 1,835), Germany. Cardinal Woelki is currently   
   metropolitan archbishop of Berlin.   
    - appointed Bishop Jorge Anibal Quintero Chacon, bishop of Margarita,   
   Venezuela, as bishop of Barcelona (area 43,300, population 2,132,000,   
   Catholics 1,996,000, priests 69, religious 61), Venezuela.   
    - appointed Fr. Ignatius D'Souza as bishop of the diocese of Bareilly (area   
   32,860, population 10,352,001, Catholics 6,744, priests 83, religious 331),   
   India. The bishop elect was born in Basrikatte, India in 1964 and was ordained   
   a priest in 1991. He holds a licentiate in biblical theology from the   
   Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and a doctorate in biblical theology   
   from the Pontifical Urbanian University, Rome. He has served in a number of   
   pastoral roles, including vice rector of the St. Paul's Minor Seminary of   
   Lucknow and director of the diocesan pastoral centre of Lucknow, and is   
   currently vicar general and priest of the Cathedral of Lucknow. He succeeds   
   Bishop Anthony Fernandes, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same   
   diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.   
    - appointed Fr. Cajetan Francis Osta as bishop of the diocese of Muzaffarpur   
   (area 27,120, population 30,310,000, Catholics 5,250, priests 49, religious   
   120), India. The bishop-elect was born in Kathara-Bokaro, India in 1961 and   
   was ordained a priest in 1992. He studied canon law at the St. Peter's   
   Pontifical Institute in Bangalore and missiology at the Sacred Heart of   
   Shillong, and has served in a number of pastoral roles in the diocese of   
   Muzaffarpur, including co-priest of Bettiah and rector of the minor seminary;   
   secretary of the bishop of Bettiah and priest in the parishes of Tinkomma and   
   Barauni. He is currently judicial vicar of Muzaffarpur, president of the   
   Bijhan Diocesan Priests, and priest of the Cathedral of Muzaffarpur. He   
   succeeds Bishop John Baptist Thakur, whose resignation from the pastoral care   
   of the same diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy   
   Father.   
    - appointed Fr. Michael Yeung Ming-cheung, Fr. Stephen Lee Bun Sang, and Fr.   
   Joseph Ha Chi-shing, O.F.M., as auxiliaries of the diocese of Hong Kong (area   
   1,104, population 7,071,600, Catholics 547,000, priests 311, permanent deacons   
   18, religious 815), China.   
    Bishop-elect Yeung Ming-cheung was born in Shanghai, China in 1946 and was   
   ordained a priest in 1978. He holds masters degrees in social communications   
   from the Syracus University, U.S.A., and philosophy of education from Harvard   
   University, U.S.A., and has served in a number of pastoral and administrative   
   roles, including parish vicar of Ha Kwai Chung district, New Territories;   
   director of the diocesan office of social communications; director of the   
   diocesan office for education and schools; director of Caritas Hong Kong, and   
   vicar general of Hong Kong. He is currently a member of the Pontifical Council   
   "Cor Unum".   
    Bishop-elect Lee Bun Sang was born in Hong Kong, China in 1956 and was   
   ordained a priest in 1988. He holds a degree in architecture from the London   
   School of Architecture and a doctorate in canon law from the University of   
   Navarre, Spain. He has served in a number of pastoral and administrative   
   roles, including director of the Tak Sun school in Tsim Sha Tsui, and is   
   currently defender of the bond at the diocesan tribunal of Hong Kong and vicar   
   of Opus Dei for East Asia.   
    Bishop-elect Fr. Joseph Ha Chi-shing, O.F.M., was born in Hong Kong, China in   
   1959 and was ordained a priest in 1990. He holds a licentiate in spiritual   
   theology and Franciscan culture from the Pontifical University Antonianum,   
   Rome, and has held a number of pastoral and administrative roles, including   
   priest of the "St. Bonaventure" and "Our Lady of the Angels" parishes in   
   Kowloon; lecturer in spiritual theology in the seminary of Hong Kong;   
   consultor of the Commission for the Church in China; and regional superior of   
   the Order of Friars Minor for Hong Kong. He is currently parish vicar of the   
   Church of St. Bonaventure in Hong Kong.   
    - elevated the apostolic prefecture of Makokou (area 46,000, population   
   54,000, Catholics 26,000, priests 7, religious 3), Gabon, to the rank of   
   apostolic vicariate, and appointed Fr. Joseph Koerber, C.S.Sp., as the first   
   apostolic vicar of the new apostolic vicariate. Born in Sierentz, France in   
   1943, he gave his perpetual vows in 1970 and was ordained a priest in 1972. He   
   specialised in pastoral theology at the Institut Catholique de Paris, France   
   and has served in a number of pastoral roles in Gabon, including regional   
   bursar of the Spiritan Fathers in Gabon and parish priest in Makokou. He is   
   currently apostolic prefect of the same circumscription.   
      
   ___________________________________________________________   
      
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   www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va   
      
   Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican   
   Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting   
   the source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.   
   http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/vis_en.html   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)