It was announced today that the Holy Father has named Bishop Joseph McFadden, who had been an auxiliary in Philadelphia, to be the new bishop of the Diocese of Harriburg, PA. Bishop McFadden is 63 years old and succeeds Bishop Kevin Rhoades, who is now the bishop of the Diocese of Ft Wayne-South Bend, IN.
Bishop McFadden's elevation to ordinary leaves only two vacant Latin Rite dioceses in the U.S.: San Antonio, TX and Orlando, FL.
Meanwhile number of U.S. Roman Catholic ordinaries serving past the age 75 is growing. This group, now numbering six, includes the archbishop of Philadelphia, His Eminence, Justin Cardinal Rigali, Archbishops Brunett and Beltran of Seattle and Oklahoma City respectively, along with Bishops Skylstad of Spokane, WA, Boland of Savannah, GA, Smith of Trenton, NJ. Bishop-elect O'Connell, formerly president of Catholic University of America, has been named co-adjutor for Trenton and will succeed Bishop Smith when his retirement is accepted by the Holy Father. So, the Diocese of Trenton will not be vacant.
