POPE BENEDICT NAMES NEW SEATTLE ARCHBISHOP.
September 16, 2010
SEATTLE- Pope Benedict XVI has named Bishop James Peter Sartain (pronounced SAR-tin), 58, of the Diocese of Joliet, Ill., as the new Archbishop of Seattle.
As required by church law, Archbishop Alex J. Brunett submitted his resignation to the Holy Father on turning 75 in January, 2009. Archbishop Brunett's resignation has now been accepted and he will serve as apostolic administrator of the archdiocese until Archbishop Sartain's installation as the ninth bishop and fifth Archbishop of Seattle.
Archbishop Sartain was born on June 6, 1952 in Memphis, Tenn. He earned a bachelor's degree in English at St. Meinrad College, Indiana in 1974. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in sacred theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome in 1977.
On July 15, 1978 he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Memphis, and earned a licentiate of sacred theology with specialization in sacramental theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum San Anselmo in Rome in 1979.
After serving as a parish priest, pastor and holding numerous positions in the Diocese of Memphis from 1979 to 2000 (See biography attached), Pope John Paul II appointed Archbishop Sartain bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock, Ark., on January 4, 2000. He was appointed bishop of Joliet, Ill., by Pope Benedict XVI on May 16, 2006.
Archbishop Sartain expressed his gratitude to Pope Benedict and acknowledged Archbishop Brunett's stewardship of the Seattle Archdiocese since 1997.
"I love being pastor, and I look forward to my ministry as shepherd of the church in the Archdiocese of Seattle," Archbishop Sartain said. "I especially welcome the opportunity to get to know the priests, deacons, religious women and men and the dedicated laity of the archdiocese, because I know they will teach me about the countless accomplishments of the church and the opportunities now before us."
As Archbishop of Seattle, Archbishop Sartain will be the chief spiritual leader of nearly 1 million Catholics residing in Western Washington.
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