VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
YEAR XXII - # 120
DATE 27-06-2014

Summary:
- AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND SERBIA
- CANONICAL TRIAL OF EX NUNCIO JOZEF WESOLOWSKI
- AUDIENCES
- OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

___________________________________________________________

 AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HOLY SEE AND SERBIA
 Vatican City, 27 June 2014 (VIS) - Today in Belgrade a framework Agreement
was signed between the Holy See and the Republic of Serbia on collaboration
in higher education, which confirms the principles and defines the
arrangement of duties between both parties in the field of higher
education. The Agreement was signed on behalf of the Holy See by Archbishop
Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States, and for the
Republic of Serbia by the vice president of the government and minister of
the Exterior, Ivica Dacic.
 According to the terms of the Agreement, the Parties will undertake to
collaborate in the sector of higher education and to promote direct
contract between institutions of this type. Furthermore, they will
undertake to standardise the questions regarding mutual recognition of
academic qualifications and public documents attesting to higher
instruction. To implement this agreement, the two Parties will subsequently
stipulate related additional protocols, by which the activities, as well as
the organisational and financial conditions of implementation, shall be
defined. The Agreement also recognises the right of the Catholic Church in
Serbia to establish and direct Institutions of higher education both for
ecclesiastical disciplines and other subjects of higher study.
 The Agreement will come into force on the date of receipt of the final
information, by diplomatic means, pertaining to the fulfilment of all the
requisites of the national legal systems of the two Parties for its
implementation.

___________________________________________________________

 CANONICAL TRIAL OF EX NUNCIO JOZEF WESOLOWSKI
 Vatican City, 27 June 2014 (VIS) - The first stage in the canonical trial
against the former apostolic nuncio in the Dominican Republic, Josef
Wesolowski, has been concluded with the laicisation of the prelate.
 From this moment, the accused has two months in which to make an eventual
appeal. The penal trial before the Vatican judicial authorities will
continue as soon as the canonical sentence has been made definitive.
 Finally, with reference to recent media reports, it is necessary to
specify that until now Msgr. Wesolowski has been granted relative freedom
of movement, as he awaits the verification by the Congregation of the
Doctrine of the Faith of the basis of these accusations made against him.
 Considering the sentence passed by the aforementioned dicastery, all the
necessary procedures will be adopted in relation to the former nuncio, in
conformity with the gravity of the case.

___________________________________________________________

 AUDIENCES
 Vatican City, 27 June 2014 (VIS) - Today, the Holy Father received in audience:
 - Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council
"Justice and Peace".
 - Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
 - Cardinal Fernando Filoni, prefect of the Congregation for the
Evangelisation of Peoples.

___________________________________________________________

 OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
 Vatican City, 27 June 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed Msgr.
Steven John Raica as bishop of Gaylord (area 28,932, population 546,000,
Catholics 75,100, priests 80, permanent deacons 22, religious 33), U.S.A.
The bishop-elect was born in Munising, U.S.A. in 1952, and was ordained a
priest in 1978. He has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Michigan
State University, a master's degree in religious studies from the
University of Detroit, and a licentiate and doctorate from the Gregorian
Pontifical University of Rome. He has served in a number of pastoral roles,
including priest of the "Holy Family Parish", Ovid; co-rector of
the St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing; priest of the "St. Mary Parish",
Charlotte; judge of the diocesan tribunal; diocesan consultor; member of
the presbyteral council, priest of the "St. Ann Parish",
Bellevue; chaplain of the Olivet College, Olivet; and superior of the Domus
Sanctae Marthae, Rome. He is currently chancellor of the diocese of
Lansing.

___________________________________________________________

For more information and to search for documents refer to the site:
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