Pope Benedict XVI erects new diocese in East Timor

Dili, East Timor, Jan 30, 2010 / 11:42 am (<http://www.catholicnewsagency.com>CNA).- The Vatican officially erected a third diocese in East Timor on Saturday. Fr. Norberto Do Amaral will be the new bishop of the newly created Diocese of Maliana.

According to Saturday's communique from the Holy See, after completing his seminary studies in Indonesia, 53-year old Fr. Do Moral was ordained a priest in 1988. Since then, he has worked in parish ministry and has served as the rector of the minor seminary of the Diocese of Dili. After he completed studies in dogmatic theology at Rome's Urbaniana University, he was a professor and prefect of the major seminary of Dili.

In 2008, he was named Chancellor of the Diocese of Dili and Director of the diocesan magazine "A Seara."

The newly delineated Diocese of Maliana is formed of 10 parishes serving just over 200,000 Catholics, who represent more than 98% of the area's population. Six diocesan and 25 non-diocesan priests, along with 108 religious brothers and sisters, are assigned within the new diocese's limits.

The Diocese of Dili was divided to create the new diocese, which now joins the Diocese of Baucau as the nation's third.

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