New Catholic Archbishop Appointed to the Archdiocese of Seattle

By Nina Shapiro and Christine Clarridge
Seattle Times
September 3, 2019

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/new-catholic-archbishop-appointed-to-the-archdiocese-of-seattle/

Seattle has a new Catholic archbishop.

Paul D. Etienne was appointed Tuesday to be the sixth archbishop of the Seattle Archdiocese, which encompasses Western Washington, home to 169 parishes, missions and pastoral centers and an estimated Roman Catholic population of roughly 640,000. He succeeds Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, whose resignation Pope Francis accepted Tuesday.

Sartain, citing “ongoing health challenges following a series of spinal surgeries,” asked Pope Francis a year ago to appoint a “coadjutor archbishop” to share his duties, according to a news statement from the Archdiocese of Seattle. Etienne, 60, assumed that role in June.

In an interview in the downtown Seattle archdiocese offices, he allowed he had to figure out how to lead a region of this size. Etienne last served as archbishop of Anchorage, which has 33 parishes and missions and about 32,000 Catholics. While he liked to be in close contact with everyone, he said, “that’s not a luxury I’m going to be able to afford here.”

He has other challenges as well, reflecting those facing the Catholic Church as whole. Revelations of sexual abuse by priests — called a “moral catastrophe” in a statement last year by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops — has caused a crisis of confidence for many Catholics. U.S. bishops have taken steps to become more transparent and accountable, voting in June to set up a hotline for reports of abuse. In 2016, the Seattle Archdiocese released the names of 77 members of clergy it said had credible allegations against them.

But victims’ advocates say those measures have not been enough. Meanwhile, reformers have pressed for other changes, including increasing the role of women and laypeople. And controversy has flared over the church’s teachings on homosexuality and opposition to same-sex marriage.

Etienne said his highest priority was strengthening and extending the faith.