Pope Francis appoints new bishop for Diocese of Phoenix

Auxiliary Bishop John P. Dolan of San Diego to become 5th bishop in Diocesan History

PHOENIX (June 10, 2022) –  Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted from pastoral governance of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix and has appointed Auxiliary Bishop John P. Dolan of San Diego as the fifth Bishop in the 52-year history of the diocese. Bishop Dolan will begin his new assignment in Phoenix in early August 2022, taking over for one of the fastest growing Catholic dioceses in the United States with an estimated 1.1 million Catholic population.

Bishop Dolan, who turned 60 years old earlier this week, is a native of San Diego. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego in April of 2017 where he also served as the vicar general, vicar for clergy and the moderator of the curia. Prior to the appointment in 2017, he served as a priest at various parishes across the Diocese of San Diego for 28 years.

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January 21, 2022, was Bishop Olmsted’s 75th birthday. According to the Canon Law of the Church, he was requested to submit his resignation to the Holy Father.

A diocesan bishop who has completed the seventy-fifth year of age is requested to present his resignation from office to the Supreme Pontiff, who will make provision after he has examined all the circumstances. (Can. 401)

Upon turning 75, Bishop Olmsted sent a letter to Pope Francis asking for permission to retire, having reached the “age limit” for bishops. The pope may accept Bishop’s resignation at his leisure, and the Diocese of Phoenix will be in a time of prayer and anticipation while we wait the appointment of our next bishop. Bishop Olmsted will remain bishop of the diocese until Pope Francis accepts his resignation. The next bishop may or may not be appointed at the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Upon turning 75, Bishop Olmsted sent a letter to Pope Francis asking for permission to retire, having reached the “age limit” for bishops (Can. 401). The pope accepted Bishop Olmsted’s resignation on June 10, 2022, and he appointed Most Rev. John P. Dolan, Auxiliary Bishop of San Diego as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix.

Bishop John P. Dolan is a native of San Diego. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of San Diego in April 2017, where he also served as the vicar general, vicar for clergy and the moderator of the curia.

Bishop Dolan attended Catholic school his whole life, beginning with St. Mary Magdalene parish’s School of the Madeleine and University of San Diego High School, before attending St. Francis Seminary and the University of San Diego, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. He earned a Master’s degree in Divinity and Theology at St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park, CA.

Ordained to the priesthood on July 1, 1989, by Bishop Leo T. Maher, Bishop Dolan began as an associate pastor at St. Michael’s parish in Paradise Hills, before serving at Santa Sophia in Spring Valley, St. Rose of Lima in Chula Vista, St. Mary Star of the Sea in Oceanside, and at St. Michael’s parish in Poway, St. John the Evangelist and St. Vincent de Paul parishes in Hillcrest and Mission Hills.  He is the seventh of nine children born to Catherine and Gerald Dolan.

Get to know Bishop Dolan

Ultimately, the pope decides the next bishop of a given diocese, but how does he know who to pick?

In prayer for guidance from the Holy Spirit, there are four basic steps. The current bishop and bishops of other dioceses within the province may provide lists of names to the Apostolic Nuncio with their recommendations.

Note: As a lay person, you, too, can write the Nuncio with recommendations!

The Nuncio collects all recommendations and forwards them to the Congregation for Bishops, including his notes and recommendations. He provides context and interpretation for the provided recommendations.

The Congregation for Bishops reviews the big list and makes recommendations to the Holy Father.

The pope receives the information, prays about it, and makes a decision.

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In prayer, the word the Lord keeps giving Bishop Olmsted is “rest.” He will take some time for prayer, rest, and rejuvenation, before settling down to retired life in the Phoenix area.

When a bishop retires, he is cared for by the diocese for the rest of his life (Canon 402). Bishop Olmsted will have a place to live and an office and secretary at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. As Bishop Emeritus, he may also celebrate confirmations and other events.

Can. 402 §1. A bishop whose resignation from office has been accepted retains the title of emeritus of his diocese and can retain a place of residence in that diocese if he so desires, unless in certain cases the Apostolic See provides otherwise because of special circumstances.

§2. The conference of bishops must take care that suitable and decent support is provided for a retired bishop, with attention given to the primary obligation which binds the diocese he has served.

Bishop Olmsted will celebrate the televised Mass at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral on Sunday, July 24, at 9 a.m. The Mass is open to the public and will be live on AZTV Channel 7, YouTube, and Facebook. A reception in his honor will follow. All are welcome!

Bishop Dolan will be installed as the 5th bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix on August 2 at 10:30 a.m. Due to limited space, this Mass is not open to the public. It will be live on AZTV, YouTube, and Facebook beginning at 10 a.m.
As Bishop Dolan settles into the diocese, he will be visiting every parish. Please attend the Mass he celebrates at your parish! Take the opportunity to introduce yourself and share a bit about your faith journey in the Diocese of Phoenix. He looks forward to meeting you!