Bishop Grahmanns Resignation Accepted, Pope Appoints Bishop Kevin Farrell to Dallas; Lafayette, LA, Priest Named Lake Charles Bishop
WASHINGTON (March 6, 2007) Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Bishop Charles V. Grahmann of Dallas and appointed Auxiliary Bishop Kevin J. Farrell of Washington as his successor. Bishop Farrell was named Auxiliary Bishop of Washington in December, 2001. He speaks fluent Spanish and has ministered to numerous Spanish-speaking communities.
The Pope appointed Monsignor Glen John Provost, a priest of the diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana, as Bishop of Lake Charles. He succeeds Bishop Edward K. Braxton who was appointed Bishop of Belleville, IL, in 2005.
Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, made the announcements.
Kevin Joseph Farrell was born in Dublin, Ireland, September 2, 1947.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Salamanca in Spain and later a Licentiate in Philosophy and also in Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome. In 1976 and 1977 he obtained graduate degrees in dogmatic theology and pastoral theology from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He holds a Masters degree in business and administration from the University of Notre Dame.
Bishop Farrell entered the Congregation of the Legionaires of Christ in 1966 and was ordained a priest on December 24, 1978.
As a member of the Legionaries, he was chaplain of the University of Monterrey in Mexico, where he taught Economics. He was also General Administrator of the Congregation with responsibilities for seminaries and schools in Italy, Spain, and Ireland.
In 1984 Bishop Farrell was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Washington. He was associate pastor, St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 1984-1985, Executive Director of the Spanish Catholic Center, 1986, Acting Executive Director of Catholic Charities, 1987-1988, and Secretary for Finance and Management, 1989-2001. He was named Vicar General for Administration / Moderator of the Curia and pastor, Annunciation Parish, Washington, in 2001. He was serving in these posts when he was appointed Titular Bishop of Rusuccuru and Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, December 28, 2001. He was ordained February 11, 2002.
Charles V. Grahmann was born in Hallettsville, Texas, July 15, 1931. He studied at Our Lady of the Lake Seminary and Assumption Seminary, San Antonio, and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, March 17, 1956. Appointed Titular Bishop of Equilium
and Auxiliary Bishop of San Antonio, June 27, 1981, he was ordained August 20, 1981.
Bishop Grahmann was appointed first Bishop of Victoria, Texas, April 13, 1982, installed May 29, 1982. He was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Dallas on December 11, 1989, and succeeded to the see on July 14, 1990.
Glen John Provost was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, on August 9, 1949. He studied at Immaculata Seminary, Lafayette, and St. Joseph Seminary College, St. Benedict, and at the North America College in Rome. Bishop-elect Provost earned the STB degree at the Angelicum in Rome in 1974.
He was ordained a priest of the Lafayette diocese in St. Peters Basilica, on June 29, 1975. He speaks French and Italian.
Bishop-elect Provost has held numerous pastoral and administrative positions in the Diocese of Lafayette. In 1975 he was associate pastor at Our Lady Queen of Heaven parish in Lake Charles and at St. Mary Magdalene in Abbeville. He was named Rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Lafayette, in 1985.
The newly-named Bishop of Lake Charles has been Judge/Assessor in the diocesan tribunal, a member of the diocesan school board, served a five-year term on the College of Consultors, and a two-year term on the Lafayette Catholic Service Center/Opelousas Housing Corporation.
Bishop-designate Provost was named Pastor, Our Lady of Fatima, in 1998, and Dean of the West Lafayette Deanery. He became Chairman of the diocesan Priests Council in 2006.
Established in 1890, the Diocese of Dallas comprises nine counties in the State of Texas. It has a Catholic population of 955,298 in a total population of 3,473,568.
The Diocese of Lake Charles, established in 1980, comprises five counties in the State of Louisiana. It has a Catholic population of 77,934 in a total population of 277,849.