Vatican City, Mar 2, 2009 / 09:35 am
The Diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi received word from the Vatican this morning that its almost year-long wait for a bishop is over. Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Bishop Roger Paul Morin, auxiliary of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, as the shepherd of the region’s 67,800 Catholics.
Bishop-elect Morin, who will turn 68 next Saturday, will replace Archbishop Thomas Rodi, who was made the Archbishop of Mobile last April.
Bishop Morin has been active in ministry to the poor since 1967, when he worked in the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ summer Witness program. Following his summer experience, Bishop Morin became the director of The Center, a neighborhood social service organization run by the archdiocese. While he served as the full-time director of The Center, Morin enrolled in the seminary, studying in the evenings and on Saturdays.
On April 15, 1971, Roger Morin was ordained to the priesthood in his home parish in Dracut, Mass. and was then assigned to work at St. Henry’s in New Orleans.