AUSTRALIA : LAZZAROTTO NUNCIO TO ISRAEL

Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
20 Aug 2012


Papal envoy His Excellency Archbishop Guiseppe Lazzarotto
Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto, Apostolic Nuncio to Australia as Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine.
Archbishop Lazzarotto was appointed Nuncio to Australia by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in January 2008. After serving as Nuncio for the past four and a half years, he will leave shortly to take up his new position.
"I am aware it is a major challenge," the 70-year old Italian prelate told Vatican Radio at the weekend, adding it was a challenge he accepted with joy.
"It is important to carry on the work of the past few years accomplished by the hard work and graciousness by my predecessors, and I will move in their wake offering my best efforts in the cause of dialogue and peace."
He said it was only through dialogue a just solution could be found to meet the varied and often conflicting aspirations of the different people of the region.
"There are many men and women of good will who live in the Holy Land," he said and praised the small Christian community in the Middle East, including their witness to their faith through what he described as "small gestures of understanding, dialogue and friendship.
Archbishop Lazzarotto is no stranger to the region was Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan and Iraq from 1994 until 2000 and prior to this, served in Jerusalem from 1982 until 1984.
The replacement for Archbishop Lazzarotto as Nuncio to Australia as not yet been announced.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY

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