Pope Names Msgr. Lawrence T. Persico, Jcl, Tenth Bishop of Erie

By Anne-Marie Welsh
Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
July 31, 2012

http://www.eriercd.org/

Pope Benedict XVI today named the Rev. Msgr. Lawrence T. Persico as the tenth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie. He will succeed Bishop Donald W. Trautman, S.T.D., S.S.L., and will be ordained and installed as bishop during a Mass at St. Peter Cathedral in Erie on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012 at 2 pm.

Bishop Trautman will introduce Bishop-elect Persico at a news conference today at 10:30 am at St. Mark Catholic Center, 429 East Grandview Boulevard, Erie.

In the announcement at noon, Roman time, today, Pope Benedict XVI also accepted Bishop Trautman's resignation, which was submitted following church protocol on his 75th birthday, June 24, 2011. Bishop Trautman will continue to lead the mission and ministries of the diocese as Bishop Emeritus until Bishop-elect Persico's installation.

Born Nov. 21, 1950 in Monessen, Pa., Bishop-elect Persico was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Greensburg on April 30, 1977. Until the announcement, he was serving as vicar general, moderator of the curia, defender of the bond and advocate of the diocesan Tribunal and acting chancellor of the Diocese of Greensburg as well as pastor of St. James Parish.

For Bishop-elect Persico's complete biography, downloadable photographs and more information on today's announcement, please return to www.ErieRCD.org as well as the facebook page of the Diocese of Erie frequently over the next days and weeks.

Contact: amwelsh@ErieRCD.org