After getting 2009 off to a whirlwind start appointing bishops here in the U.S., appointments slowed down a bit. However, for the second time in a little more than a week, the Holy Father has made an episcopal appointment, actually two. Today it was announced that the Holy Father accepted the resignation of Bishop Arthur Tafoya of Pueblo, Colorado, who reached retirement age more than a year and-a-half ago. He appointed Fr. Fernando Isern, a priest of the Archdiocese of Miami to succeed Bishop Tafoya. Pope Benedict also named Msgr. Paul Sirba, a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis, as bishop Duluth, Minnesota, replacing His Excellency Dennis Schnurr, who was appointed as coadjutor archbishop of Cincinnati a year ago.
With these appointments there are now eight ordinaries over 75 still serving their dioceses and seven Latin Rite dioceses that are vacant: Cheyenne, WY; Owensboro, KY; Milwaukee, WI; Ogdensburg, NY; Springfield, Il; Austin, TX; Scranton, PA.
Veni Sancti Spiritus, veni per Mariam.
