New bishop for Little Rock 'tailor-made' for Arkansas

Published: 2008-04-11

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (CNS) -- Bishop-designate Anthony B. Taylor, whose episcopal ordination and installation as Little Rock's new bishop will be June 5, is "tailor-made by God for our diocese." The comment by Msgr. J. Gaston Hebert, diocesan administrator of Little Rock, noted the Oklahoma City archdiocesan priest's fluency in Spanish, his experience in clergy issues and diaconate formation and his education in Scripture study. Bishop-designate Taylor's appointment was announced in Washington April 10 by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, papal nuncio to the United States. The diocese has been without a bishop since May 16, 2006, when Bishop J. Peter Sartain was appointed the bishop in Joliet, Ill. The appointment was welcome news to Msgr. Hebert, who has led the diocese in the interim. Bishop-designate Taylor, 53, was introduced to the media and diocesan staff during a press conference April 10 in Morris Hall Chapel at St. John Center in Little Rock. Accompanying him were Archbishop Eusebius J. Beltran of Oklahoma City, who introduced the new bishop, and Msgr. Hebert.

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