Bishop Dorsey retires; Bishop Wenski becomes head of Orlando Diocese

Published: 2004-11-15

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II has accepted the resignation of Bishop Norbert M. Dorsey of Orlando, Fla. His coadjutor for the past year, Bishop Thomas G. Wenski, automatically becomes head of the Orlando Diocese. Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic nuncio to the United States, announced the resignation in Washington Nov. 13, a little more than a month before Bishop Dorsey's 75th birthday. Bishop Dorsey, a native of Springfield, Mass., was ordained a Passionist priest in 1956. He was named to head the Orlando Diocese in March 1990. Before that he was an auxiliary bishop of Miami for four years. Bishop Wenski, 54, has become a highly visible advocate for migrants and refugees since his November 2001 election as chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Migration. His three-year term ends with the close of the bishops' Nov. 15-18 meeting in Washington; Bishop Gerald R. Barnes of San Bernardino, Calif., will succeed him.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .