Vatican City, Jun 26, 2018 / 06:11 am
The Vatican announced Tuesday Pope Francis' appointment of Bishop Michael Gerard Duca, of the northern Louisiana diocese of Shreveport, to be the newest bishop of Baton Rouge.
Duca, 66, who has led the Shreveport diocese since 2008, will take over in Baton Rouge from Bishop Robert William Muench, whose resignation the pope accepted June 26 after Muench turned 75 in December.
In a June 26 statement on his retirement, Muench said his 16 years as head of the Baton Rouge diocese were "a profound honor and joy," and that he will forever hold the clergy, religious, seminarians, and lay Catholics of the diocese "deep in heart and mind, in spirit and prayer."
Bishop Duca, as his replacement, will be welcomed "with open hearts and open arms," Muench continued, noting the Louisiana bishop's training in the areas of theology, spirituality, canon law, psychology, seminary ministry, health care, ecumenism and administration.