ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

I have an announcement this morning that brings honor and pride to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.  Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has appointed Monsignor Timothy C. Senior as an Auxiliary Bishop of our Archdiocese.

I am most grateful to the Holy Father for this appointment and for his recognition of the pastoral and spiritual needs of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and our almost 1.5 million Catholics. 

Bishop-elect Senior is a native of North Wales.  He attended Saint Rose of Lima Parish School and Lansdale Catholic High School.  He attended Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary and was ordained a priest in 1985.   

During his twenty-four years as a priest, Bishop-elect Senior has served the Church faithfully.  For three years he was parochial vicar at Assumption Blessed Virgin Mary in Feasterville, Bucks County.  For seven years he served as Secretary for Catholic Human Services, a vast, mission-based organization that has 4500 employees. 

Within CHS is Catholic Health Care Services and Catholic Social Services -- the largest private provider of social services in Pennsylvania.  In his position as Secretary for Catholic Human Services, Monsignor Senior forged relationships with other non-profit leaders and with civic officials and was committed to serving those in need throughout our region.

In 2004, Monsignor Senior was appointed to his current position as Vicar for Clergy. For five years he has demonstrated his constant pastoral concern for his brother priests and worked tirelessly to put into place programs for ongoing priestly spiritual formation as well as wellness programs for priests.   Bishop-elect Senior has collaborated with me during my five years as Archbishop of Philadelphia and I have seen first-hand his devotion not only for his brother priests, but to the faithful of the entire Archdiocese. He is an exemplary priest with a great love for the Church. I know that the commitment that he has demonstrated for the faithful of the Philadelphia region will only grow as he assists me in ministering to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Bishop-elect Senior brings to his new role notable administrative gifts and a tireless work ethic.  At the same time, those who know him appreciate his priestly heart, his wise counsel, his keen intelligence and his prayerful serenity. 

Bishop-elect Senior will be ordained on Friday, July 31st at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. I express my sincere gratitude to him for his generous response and willingness to serve as we begin our new collaboration, together with the other Auxiliary Bishops, in serving God's people.