Big news from the Vatican today.

A new archbishop for Kansas City: 

This morning, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, announced he has named the Most Reverend Shawn McKnight, S.Th.D., as the fifth archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas.

  • Archbishop-designate McKnight will be introduced during a press conference in Kansas City, Kansas at 1 p.m., today, April 8. The press conference will be livestreamed, available at this link: https://diojeffcity.org/bishop-mcknight/
  • Archbishop-designate McKnight will remain as the head of the Diocese of Jefferson City for the next seven weeks until he is installed as archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas on May 27. More details will be announced later.
  • After his installation in Kansas, the Diocese of Jefferson City’s College of Consultors will elect an administrator to lead the diocese until a new bishop of Jefferson City is installed after being chosen by the Holy Father.

Statement from Archbishop-designate Shawn McKnight:

“My heart is filled with gratitude for the faithful of the Diocese of Jefferson City. You welcomed me as your bishop over seven years ago, and together we have grown in faith and service to the Lord. You have been my first flock as a bishop, and that bond will always hold a special place in my heart. I am thankful for your trust, your prayers, and your dedication to living out the Gospel in your communities. As I prepare to answer this new call, please know of my abiding affection and prayers for you all. I am confident that God’s providence will continue to guide and bless you in the days ahead. You will always remain in my heart and in my prayers.”

Bishop McKnight is one of the leading authorities on the diaconate. His book, Understanding the Diaconate, based on his doctoral thesis, is essential reading.

Meanwhile, there’s this news about Providence: 

The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has appointed Most Reverend Bruce Alan Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., as the tenth Bishop of Providence. Bishop Lewandowski is currently serving as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The changes were publicized today in Washington, D.C. by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States.

Worth noting, from his Wikipedia biography:

He became a leader in Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD), and collaborated with the group in October 2018 to create a parish identity card. This was especially beneficial for parishioners at Sacred Heart who were undocumented immigrants. Lewandowski described planned raids by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in June 2019, which would target immigrant communities, as “an act of domestic terrorism”. He became Archbishop William Lori’s interim delegate for Hispanic ministry on August 22, 2019.

He also served for two years as a missionary in Saint Lucia.