New Cardinal for Hanoi

Pope John Paul II has appointed Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet as the new archbishop of Hanoi, replacing ailing Cardinal Paul Joseph Pham Ðình Tung, 85, now retired. Archbishop Kiet, 52, was ordained as a priest in 1991 and served as bishop of Lang Son and Cao Bang diocese since 1999. He has been apostolic administrator of Hanoi since 2003. The Vatican also announced the appointment of Bishop Francois Xavier Le Van Hong as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hue. (Zenit, Feb. 20; click here for a listing of Catholic dioceses in Vietnam).