Pope Names Bishop Etienne as New Archbishop of Anchorage, Bishop Burbidge as New Bishop of Arlington; Accepts Resignation of Archbishop Schwietz, Bishop Loverde

WASHINGTON—Pope Francis has named Bishop Paul Etienne of Cheyenne, Wyoming, as archbishop of Anchorage, Alaska, and accepted the resignation of Archbishop Roger Schwietz, O.M.I., from the pastoral governance of that archdiocese. He also appointed Bishop Michael Burbidge of Raleigh, as bishop of Arlington, Virginia, and accepted the resignations of Bishop Paul Loverde.

The appointments were publicized Tuesday, October 4, in Washington by Msgr. Walter Erbì, Chargé d' Affaires, at the Apostolic Nunciature to the United States.  

Paul Etienne was born June 15, 1959, in Tell City, Indiana. He attended the North American College, Rome, and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in 1992.

Bishop Etienne holds bachelor and licentiate of theology degrees from the Gregorian University, Rome. After ordination, he served in several Indianapolis parishes, and was director of vocations for the archdiocese. He was named bishop of Cheyenne in 2009, and was ordained a bishop on December 14, 2009.

Archbishop Schwietz, 76, has served as archbishop of Anchorage since 2001. He was ordained a priest of the order of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1967. He was appointed bishop of Duluth, Minnesota, in 1989, and ordained a bishop on February 2, 1990. In 2000, he was appointed coadjutor archbishop of Anchorage, a year before succeeding as archbishop.

The Archdiocese of Anchorage comprises 138,985 square miles in the state of Alaska. It has a population of 483,346 people of whom 27,345, or 6 percent, are Catholic.  

Michael Burbidge was born June 16, 1957, in Philadelphia. He studied at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and was ordained a priest for the Philadelphia Archdiocese in 1984. He holds master's degrees in theology, administration and education, and a doctorate in education. After ordination he served as dean of formation and administrative assistant to the archbishop. He also served on the board of seminary admissions, the priests' personnel board and on the presbyteral council.

Bishop Burbidge was named auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia in 2002, and ordained a bishop on September 5, 2002. He then was named bishop of Raleigh in 2006.

Bishop Paul Loverde, 76, has served as bishop of Arlington since 1999. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Norwich in 1965. He was appointed auxiliary bishop of Hartford in 1988, and ordained a bishop on April 12, 1988. In 1993, he was appointed bishop of Ogdensburg, and was installed in 1994, where he served until his appointment as bishop of Arlington.  
The Diocese of Arlington comprises 6,541 square miles in the state of Virginia. It has a population of 3,186,047 people of whom 457,823, or 14 percent, are Catholic.  
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Keywords: USCCB, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Holy See, Archdiocese of Anchorage, Diocese of Arlington, Bishop Paul Etienne, Archbishop Roger Schwietz, Bishop Michael Burbidge, Bishop Paul Loverde, Apostolic Nunciature, Pope Francis
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