VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE   
   YEAR XXV - # 229   
   DATE 22-12-2015   
      
   Summary:   
   - Other Pontifical Acts   
      
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    Other Pontifical Acts   
    Vatican City, 22 December 2015 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed:   
    - Bishop Ruben Antonio Gonzalez Medina, C.M.F., of Caguas, Puerto Rico, as   
   bishop of Ponce (area 2,045, population 628,300, Catholics 489,500, priests   
   112,   
   permanent deacons 102, religious 257), Puerto Rico. He succeeds Bishop Felix   
   Lazaro Martinez, Sch. P., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same   
   diocese upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.   
    - Fr. Gerard County, C.S.Sp., as bishop of Kingstown (area 388, population   
   118,060, Catholics 102,000, priests 6, permanent deacons 7, religious 10),   
   Saint   
   Vincent and the Grenadines. The bishop-elect was born in Trinidad and Tobago in   
   1960, gave his religious vows in 1994 and was ordained a priest in 1996. He has   
   served in a number of offices within his Congregation in Mexico, including   
   bursar and director of youth pastoral care, parish priest of St. David Roldan   
   Lara in the diocese of Tampico, superior provincial of Mexico. He is currently   
   a   
   member of the community of Spiritan Fathers in Port of Spain, Trinidad and   
   Tobago.   
    - Fr. Claude Hamelin as auxiliary of the diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil (area   
   2,075, population 735,941, Catholics 625,500, priests 103, permanent deacons 4,   
   religious 387), Canada. The bishop-elect was born in Sherington, Canada in 1952   
   and was ordained a priest in 1977. He holds a bachelor's degree in theology and   
   a master's degree in pastoral theology from the University of Montreal, Canada,   
   and a licentiate in moral theology from the Pontifical Alphonsianum Academy,   
   Rome. He has served as chaplain in a private school, parish priest of St. Mark   
   in Candiac, episcopal vicar for the central, northern and western region of the   
   diocese of Saint-Jean-Longueuil, and head of the diocesan office for the   
   clergy.   
   He is currently vicar general of the same diocese.   
      
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