Pope Benedict XVI appoints Bishop Kevin Rhoades as the new Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana.
Bishop Rhoades is currently the Bishop for the Diocese of Harrisburg, a position he has had for the last five years.
Rhoades has been a familiar face in the Harrisburg Diocese. The bishop graduated from Lebanon Catholic High School in 1975. After finishing his studies, he was ordained a priest of the Harrisburg Diocese in 1983.
In a statement Rhoades tells CBS 21 News that, "it will not be easy for me to bid farewell to my family and friends, my brother priests and the faithful of the Harrisburg diocese. I express my deep gratitude to them for their support, prayers, and affection. It has been a tremendous blessing in my life to serve as Bishop of Harrisburg and indeed to have served as a priest of the Diocese of Harrisburg for 26 years.”
Rhoades will be installed as Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend in January.
There is no word on a replacement for the Harrisburg Diocese.
