Vatican City, Oct 8, 2019 / 04:17 am
Pope Francis appointed Tuesday Fr. Austin A. Vetter as the next bishop of Helena, Montana.
Vetter, 52, is a priest from the Diocese of Bismarck, North Dakota, where he has served as rector of the city's Cathedral of the Holy Spirit since 2018. Before that he was posted in Rome for six years as the director of spiritual formation for the Pontifical North American College.
Vetter replaces Bishop George Leo Thomas, who led the Diocese of Helena for 15 years.
Pope Francis appointed Thomas to be Bishop of Las Vegas in Feb. 2018. Monsignor Kevin O'Neill has served as diocesan administrator of Helena since Bishop Thomas' installation in Nevada.