Vatican City, Nov 28, 2016 / 05:31 am
On Monday the Vatican announced that Pope Francis has named Bishop Gregory Parkes of Pensacola-Tallahassee as the new head of the St. Petersburg diocese, where he will take over as their fifth bishop.
"I am filled with joy that Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Parkes as the new Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg," the diocese's outgoing bishop, Bishop Robert Lynch, said in a Nov. 28 press release announcing Parkes' appointment.
He invited faithful in both St. Petersburg and in Pensacola-Tallahassee to join him "in offering prayers of thanksgiving and to pray for Bishop Parkes as he transitions to shepherd the people of the Diocese of St. Petersburg."
Bishop Lynch, who has served the Diocese of St. Petersburg since 1996, will retire after having reached the age limit of 75.