AVONDALE, Ariz. — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix welcomed its new bishop during a special installation mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Avondale on Tuesday.
Bishop John P. Dolan comes by way of San Diego where he previously served as Auxiliary Bishop for the diocese in the area.
The 60-year-old is the fifth bishop in diocese history and was appointed by Pope Francis to succeed Bishop Thomas Olmsted who is retiring.
Bishop Dolan will oversee a large diocese that includes 1.1 million Catholics in 94 parishes.
“My first impression of Bishop Dolan is that he's a person you can talk to and very approachable. He's funny and a person who has some funny jokes. I think people are going to really enjoy getting to know him,” said Dr. Maria Romo Chavira, Chancellor of the Diocese of Phoenix. “One of his focal points is to really listen to people of the Diocese.
Dr. Chavira says Bishop Dolan has already visited a number of parishes and engaged with people.
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