Pope Francis Names New Auxiliary Bishop for Miami

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami
February 20, 2014

http://www.miamiarch.org/ip.asp?op=Article_1422082219384

Miami… (February 20, 2014) The Archdiocese of Miami is proud to announce that Pope Francis has named Msgr. Peter Baldacchino as the new Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Miami. Archbishop Thomas Wenski held a press conference to introduce the new Auxiliary Bishop on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. at the Pastoral Center of the archdiocese, located at 9401 Biscayne Blvd. Miami Shores, FL 33138.

Msgr. Baldacchino will be the 10th Auxiliary Bishop to serve the Archdiocese of Miami.

The newly-named Auxiliary Bishop will be ordained on March 19th by Archbishop Thomas Wenski.

On Most Reverend Peter Baldacchino, D.D.

Peter Baldacchino was born on December 5, 1960 in Sliema, Malta.

Around 1990, his desire to explore the vocation to the priesthood led him to the Archdiocese of Newark. He began attending Immaculate Conception Seminary at Seton Hall University while living in community at the Redemptoris Mater Missionary House of Formation of the Neocatechumenal Way in Kearny, NJ. He earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity degrees at Seton Hall University, and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark on May 25, 1996.

From 1996 until 1999 Fr. Baldacchino served as parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Ridgewood, NJ. From 1997 until 1998, he also served as a member of the Presbyteral Council of the Archdiocese.

In 1999, in recognition of his Neocatechumenal Way commitment toward missionary work, Fr. Baldacchino was assigned to Our Lady of Divine Providence Mission in the Turks & Caicos Islands, a missio sui juris (independent mission) for which the Archbishop of Newark is responsible. Serving as Chancellor of Our Lady of Divine Providence Mission since 1999, Fr. Baldacchino also served as pastor of Our Lady of Divine Providence Church beginning in 2002.

In 2009 His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI named Fr. Baldacchino a Chaplain to His Holiness, with the honorary title of Reverend Monsignor.

He is fluent in Maltese, Italian and English.

His Holiness, Pope Francis, named Bishop-Elect Peter Baldacchino Titular Bishop of Vatarba and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami on February 20, 2014.

What is an Auxiliary Bishop?

An Auxiliary Bishop is a bishop assigned to a Catholic diocese or archdiocese to assist its residential bishop. Whether in a diocese or archdiocese, his title is bishop.

Previous Archdiocese of Miami Auxiliary Bishops:

Auxiliary Bishops under Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll

• Bishop John J. Fitzpatrick: Appointed June 24, 1968 and later named Bishop of Brownsville, Texas in 1971.

• Bishop Rene H. Gracida: Appointed Dec. 6, 1971, named first Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee in 1975.

Auxiliary Bishops under Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy

• Bishop Agustin A. Roman: Appointed Jan. 25, 1979, retired in 2003.

• Bishop John J. Nevins: Appointed Jan. 25 1979, named first Bishop of Venice in 1984.

• Bishop Norbert M. Dorsey, CP: Appointed Jan. 10, 1986, named Bishop of Orlando in 1990.

Auxiliary Bishops under Archbishop John C. Favalora

• Bishop Gilberto Fernandez: Appointed June 24, 1997, retired in 2002.

• Bishop Thomas G. Wenski: Appointed June 24, 1997, named Archbishop of Miami in 2010.

• Bishop Felipe J. Estevez: Appointed Nov. 21, 2003, named Bishop of St. Augustine in 2011.

• Bishop John G. Noonan: Appointed June 21, 2005, named Bishop of Orlando in 2010.

History of the Archdiocese of Miami:

On Aug. 13, 1958, the Diocese of Miami was created with 51 parishes, 65 diocesan priests, and 21 religious order clergy ministering to 185,000 Catholics in 16 counties in southern Florida. Most of the state was covered by the original Diocese of St. Augustine. Bishop Coleman F. Carroll, formerly Auxiliary Bishop of Pittsburgh, was installed as Miami’s first bishop on Oct. 7, 1958 at the newly elevated St. Mary Cathedral.

In 1968, due to the tremendous influx of new residents from the northern United States as well as the Caribbean, and also in recognition of Bishop Carroll's dynamic leadership, the 10-year-old Diocese of Miami was made an Archdiocese and named Metropolitan See for all of Florida.

Today, the Archdiocese of Miami is home to over 1.3 million Catholics in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe Counties. Mass is celebrated in 17 languages; there are 108 Churches and Missions and 57 schools. The Archdiocese of Miami is led by Archbishop Thomas Wenski.

The Archdiocese of Miami

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