Pope appoints known pro-lifer as new Archbishop Coadjutor for Kansas City

Vatican City, Jan 7, 2004 / 12:00 am MT (CNA).- Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Joseph F. Naumann, auxiliary of St. Louis, MO; a strong supporter of the Pro-life movement; as Archbishop coadjutor of Kansas City in Kansas.

Bishop Joseph F. Naumann was born on June 4 1949 at Saint Louis (Missouri). He started his first theological studies at the Saint Louis Prepatory Seminary South in 1963, and then at the Cardinal Glennon College and the Kenrick Seminary.

He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Saint Louis on May 24, 1975.

He has been Vicar of the Saint Dominic Savio Parish in Affton (1975-1979), Vicar of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Saint Louis (1979-1984), Archdiocesan director of the Pro-Life Office and Vicar of Blessed Sacrament Parish at Saint Louis (1984-1989); Pastor of the Ascension Parish in Normandy (1989-1994), and Vicar General (1994 - 2003).

He was appointed Auxiliary bishop of Saint Louis on July 9 1997.

As Archbishop Coadjutor, he will succeed Archbishop James Patrick Keleher (72) at the head of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.