Pope names former papal trip organizer to communications council

Published: 2003-12-01

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II has named Msgr. Renato Boccardo, a Vatican official who has organized papal trips since 2001, as secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. Msgr. Boccardo, 52, will work under U.S. Archbishop John P. Foley, head of the communications council. He replaces Bishop Pierfranco Pastore, who is retiring at age 76, the Vatican said Nov. 29. As the Secretariat of State official charged with the planning of the pope's foreign visits, Msgr. Boccardo organized trips to Greece, Syria, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Mexico, Poland, Spain and several other countries. He had a main planning role in the papal activities at World Youth Day in Toronto in 2002.

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