Pope Francis Names Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted as Apostolic Administrator Sede Vacante of the Byzantine Eparchy of Phoenix
August 23, 2021
The Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.
WASHINGTON — Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop John Pazak, C.Ss.R, 75, from the pastoral governance of the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix, and has appointed Bishop Thomas Olmsted of Phoenix as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Eparchy. Bishop Olmsted will also retain his current Office as Bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix.
The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington, D.C. on August 23, 2021, by Msgr. Séamus Horgan, chargé d’ affaires, a.i. of the Apostolic Nunciature in the temporary absence of Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Bishop Olmsted’s full statement follows:
His Holiness Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop John Pazak upon reaching the age of 75, and has appointed me as Apostolic Administrator Sede Vacante of the Eparchy of Phoenix, also known more formally as the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix.
Over the past three years, I have served as Apostolic Administrator Sede Plena of the Eparchy. With the Holy Father’s decision, I shall continue as Apostolic Administrator until a new Bishop of the Eparchy has been named. I shall continue to facilitate the task of resolving some legal matters and to support the efforts of everyone in the Eparchy to faithfully serve the mission of Christ and His Church.
There is no fixed term to my appointment; I am happy to serve in any way that will support my brothers and sisters in the Eparchy. At the same time, I retain my present office of Bishop of Phoenix.
In my own name and on behalf of the clergy and laity of the Eparchy of Phoenix, I want to express our gratitude to God for Bishop Pazak’s years of faithful service to the mission of the Church and to ask the Lord’s abundant graces upon Bishop Pazak in this time of transition.
Please join me in asking for the Holy Protection of Mary over the Eparchy of Phoenix and over the future Bishop whom we await with lively hope in Christ.
Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, D.D., J.C.D.
Apostolic Administrator Sede Vacante of Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix
Bishop of Phoenix
Bishop Olmsted has served as the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix since December 20, 2003.
Prior to his arrival in Phoenix, Bishop Olmsted served as Bishop of Wichita, Kansas from 2001-2003, after being ordained Coadjutor Bishop on April 20, 1999. Before serving in Wichita, he served as the Rector and President of the Pontifical College Josephinum, a Catholic Seminary in Columbus, Ohio. Since 1974, Bishop Olmsted has been a member of the Jesus Caritas fraternity of priests. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., July 2, 1973.
For 16 years, Bishop Olmsted lived in Rome, where he obtained a master’s degree in theology and a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University (1981) and worked more than nine years as an official in the Vatican Secretariat of State from 1979 to 1988. During his time in Rome, he was also an assistant spiritual director at the Pontifical North American College.
The Byzantine Eparchy of Holy Protection of Mary embraces all Catholics of the Byzantine-Ruthenian Church in the states of California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii.
The Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona comprises 43,967 square miles. It has a total population of 4,734,036 people of which 1,188,243 or 25 percent, are Catholic.
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Robert DeFrancesco
Director of Communications
rdefrancesco@dphx.org
(602) 354-2130
