Archdiocese Names New Archbishop of Baltimore

WBAL
March 20, 2012

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/30718069/detail.html

Baltimore Archbishop William Lori

New Archbishop William Lori is introduced at the Baltimore Basilica.

[with video]

BALTIMORE -- Baltimore's new archbishop will come from Connecticut, the Archdiocese of Baltimore confirmed to WBAL-TV 11 News.

William Edward Lori, who currently serves as bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., will replace Cardinal Edwin O'Brien, who was elevated by the pope last month to serve in Rome.

Lori was introduced during a news conference Tuesday morning at the Baltimore Basilica.

Lori issued a statement following the appointment, saying:

"The very thought of serving and leading the Nation's Premier See fills me with joy and also with profound gratitude, first and foremost to the Lord who shepherds His people in love. I am grateful to our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, who has entrusted to me the stewardship of this great and historic Archdiocese, and to Cardinal O'Brien, Cardinal Keeler and their predecessors stretching back to Archbishop John Carroll.

"In particular, I wish to thank Cardinal O'Brien together with Bishop Madden and Bishop Rozanski and many others for their gracious welcome, wise counsel and assistance. In the coming days and in the years ahead, I look forward to working with the priests of the Archdiocese, visiting our parishes, schools, and charities, and working closely with the laity, religious, and deacons -- indeed all whose witness to Christ and whose spirit of loving service enable this historic Archdiocese to proclaim the Gospel afresh in our times and bring its truths and values into the public square.

"Let me add that I look forward to working with ecumenical, interfaith and civic leaders in the years ahead. May the Holy Spirit inspire, unify and strengthen us all as we move ahead with a strong and active faith."

Getting To Know William Lori

No stranger to Maryland, Lori's first assignment sent him to Landover, Prince George's County, where he served as an associate pastor of St. Joseph Parish.

Lori was installed in 2001 as the fourth bishop of the Bridgeport diocese, where he was immediately confronted by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the revelation of sexual abuse within the church. Lori is recognized as an emerging leader on the church's response to the sexual misconduct crisis as he was instrumental in drafting the landmark Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the diocese said.

During his tenure in Bridgeport, Lori has launched new initiatives supporting Catholic education, vocations and charities, among other services. During his watch, a record 12 schools earned the U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon designation.

Lori is a very active member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, where he has taken part in shaping policy for an array of disciplines. A former chairman and current member of the Committee on Doctrine, Lori currently chairs the ad-hoc Committee on Universities and Colleges, and he is a member of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities and the ad-hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage.

Lori, 62, was born in Louisville, Ky.

O'Brien serves the pope as Pro Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Baltimore has had 15 archbishops since its founding in 1789, three of whom were elevated to the College of Cardinals, including Cardinal James Gibbons in 1886, Cardinal Lawrence Shehan in 1965, Cardinal William Keeler in 1994 and O'Brien this year.