Cardinal Wuerl’s Statement on Pope Francis Naming Monsignor Michael W. Fisher as Auxiliary Bishop for Archdiocese of Washington

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pope Francis today named Monsignor Michael William Fisher, age 60, as an Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Washington. Bishop-elect Fisher has served as Episcopal Vicar for Clergy and Secretary for Ministerial Leadership for the archdiocese since 2006. The role of an auxiliary bishop is to assist the diocesan bishop in meeting the pastoral needs of the diocese, and Bishop-elect Fisher will assist Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, who serves as spiritual leader to over 655,000 Catholics living in Washington, D.C. and suburban and southern Maryland.

Cardinal Wuerl released the following statement on the news from the Vatican this morning:

“All of us in the Archdiocese are deeply grateful that our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has named Monsignor Michael Fisher to be an auxiliary bishop in our Church of Washington. Monsignor Fisher brings to this ministry recognized talent and demonstrated ability. In particular, his concern for his brother priests, dedication to priestly ministry and his kind yet directive leadership will be gifts to this local Church as he serves in this new capacity. Personally I look forward to continuing to work closely with our new auxiliary bishop, who over the years has made significant contributions to the pastoral life of this archdiocese.”

Read Bishop-elect Fisher’s biography and download his portrait.

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