News Release: Statement of Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop of Washington, on the appointment of Bishop-elect Emilio Biosca Agüero, OFM Cap. as Bishop of Venice

Statement of Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop of Washington, on the appointment of Bishop-elect Emilio Biosca Agüero, OFM Cap. as Bishop of Venice

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has given a great gift of grace and leadership to the people of the Diocese of Venice.

Bishop-elect Biosca is one of the finest pastors in the Archdiocese of Washington. He has the faith and witness which attracts men and women to the person of Jesus Christ. He piercingly preaches the Gospel in its integrity and makes the call to conversion real and engaging.

The Bishop-elect has the tender heart of a true Shepherd, and has made the Shrine of the Sacred Heart a true haven of compassion. A skilled administrative leader and a defender of his flock, he has been unswerving in reaching out to the poor and the marginalized, and the undocumented. He is also a bridgebuilder who reaches across the boundaries of polarization to forge real solidarity in the family of God.

Saint Francis burns in the heart of Father Emilio, and while I will miss him profoundly in Washington, I know clearly that God is at work in his new mission in Florida, and I give thanks.

Capuchin Franciscan Father Emilio Biosca Agüero, the pastor of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, D.C., speaks with a parishioner outside the church on Aug. 31, 2025. On May 13, 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed Father Biosca as the bishop-elect of Venice, Florida. (Catholic Standard photo by Mihoko Owada)

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The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is home to more than 655,000 Catholics, 140 parishes and 90 Catholic schools, located in Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.

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