Pope Francis Names New Bishop to Lead Rockville Centre Diocese

By Bart Jones
Newsday
December 9, 2016

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/pope-francis-names-new-bishop-to-lead-rockville-centre-diocese-1.12727082

Pope Francis on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016, announced the appointment of Bishop John O. Barres of Allentown, Pennsylvania, left, as the new bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Barres was appointed to serve as the fifth bishop of Rockville Centre, succeeding Bishop William Murphy, right. (Credit: Diocese of Rockville Centre; Howard Schnapp)

Pope Francis on Friday named Bishop John O. Barres of Allentown, Pennsylvania, as the new bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, one of the largest Catholic dioceses in the country.

Barres, 56, will succeed retiring Bishop William Murphy, who has led the diocese — home to 1.5 million Catholics — since Sept. 5, 2001. Barres will be the fifth bishop of the diocese, created in 1957 when it...

Contact: bart.jones@newsday.com