Appointments

The Holy Father has named as Bishop of Green Bay, Wisconsin, the Most Reverend David L. Ricken, up to now Bishop of Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Bishop Ricken was born in Dodge City, Kansas, in 1952. He attended Sacred Heart Cathedral Grade School in Dodge City and Saint Francis Seminary High School in Victoria. After studying Philosophy at Conception Seminary College in Conception, Missouri, he complete his theological studies at the American College in Louvain, Belgium. He was ordained a priest September 12, 1980 for the Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado. He served as Assistant Pastor at Sacred Heart Cathedral from 1980 to 1985 and Vice Chancellor of the Diocese and Administrator of Holy Rosary Parish in Pueblo from 1985 to 1987. He studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome from 1987 to 1989 where he earned a License in Canon Law. Returning to Pueblo, he served in the following positions: Diocesan Vocations Director (1989-1996), Epsicipal Vicar for Ministerial Formation (1989-1992), Director of the Office for Deacons (1990-1996), and Chancellor (1992-1996). He also served as Defender of the Bond and Promoter of Justice for the Diocesan Tribunal and was a member of the Presbyteral Council and College of Consultors. He then served at the Congregation for the Clergy from 1996 to 1999.

He was named Coadjutor Bishop of Cheyenne December 14, 1999, consecrated January 6, 2000, and succeeded as Ordinary September 26,2001. At the Bishops’ Conference he served as President of the Committee on the American College of Louvain (Region XIII) and member of the Committee of Catechesis and Committee on Protection of Children and Young People.

In addition to English, he knows Spanish, Italian, and German.

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The Holy Father also today accepted the retirement of Cardinal José Saraiva Martins as Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints and has named as the new prefect Archbishop Angelo Amato up to now Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (where he served under the Holy Father prior to his election as Pontiff).

The Holy Father also named as Archbishop Amato’s replacement Father Luis Francisco Ladaria Ferrer, S.J., conferring upon him the dignity of Archbishop. Archbishop-elect Ferrer was born in Manacor, in the diocese of Mallorca, in 1944; was ordained a priest in 1973; studied in Spain, Germany, and Rome; taught several years in Madrid and then at the Pontifical Gregorian University, where he served as Vice Rector from 1986 to 1994. He has been working at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith since 1995 (when the Holy Father was then Prefect).