Pope Benedict XVI Appoints New Orleans Native as Archbishop of New Orleans

Archdiocese of New Orleans – June 12, 2009

NEW ORLEANS, La. – His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond Archbishop of New Orleans. Pope Benedict XVI made the announcement today at noon at his public audience in Vatican City. Upon making the appointment, the Holy Father has accepted the retirement of Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes, who turned 75 on December 2, 2007, and served 18 months after the age established by canon law for bishops to submit their letters of retirement.

In becoming the 14th Archbishop of New Orleans, Archbishop-designate Aymond will become the first native-born New Orleans priest to hold that position. His installation Mass is scheduled for Thursday, August 20, 2009, at 2 p.m. at St. Louis Cathedral.

ABOUT ARCHBISHOP-DESIGNATE AYMOND

Archbishop-designate Aymond currently is Bishop of the Diocese of Austin, Texas. A New Orleans native, he a was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 1975 after completing studies at Notre Dame Seminary. Following his priestly ordination he served as a parish priest and high school teacher, and was appointed to the faculty of Notre Dame Seminary in 1981. He was later appointed the seminary rector in 1986 and served in that capacity for 14 years.

Archbishop-designate Aymond was ordained auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans on January 10, 1997. On June 2, 2000, he was appointed coadjutor bishop of Austin and was installed there on August 3, 2000.

He has served on numerous committees and boards of U.S. bishops on the national level and served as chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Catholic Educational Association from 2000-04 and chair of the U.S. Bishops’ Committees on the Protection of Children and Young People and the World Missions Committee. He also has been a member of the USCCB Committees on Diaconate, Catholic Education, Vocations, Priestly Formation and Campus Ministry. He currently serves as a member of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, and the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations.

The Bishop is the steward of grace of the supreme priesthood, especially in the Eucharist…. The Eucharist is the center of life of the particular Church. The Bishop and priests sanctify the Church by their prayer and work, by their ministry of the word and of the sacraments. They sanctify her by their example, not as domineering over those in their charge but being examples to the flock. Thus, together with the flock entrusted to them, they may attain to eternal life. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #893) O’Meara Ferguson welcomes Archbishop-designate Aymond to his new ministry as Bishop of New Orleans. We promise our prayerful support as he assumes his new responsibility as a “steward of grace” for the Church of New Orleans.