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Seattle bishop replacing retiring Catholic bishop in Reno

Archdiocese of Seattle

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of retiring Catholic Bishop Randolph R. Calvo of Reno and named Auxiliary Bishop Daniel H. Mueggenborg of Seattle as his successor.

Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, publicized the pope’s appointment of Muggenborg in Washington D.C. on Tuesday.

Mueggenborg, 59, has been an auxiliary bishop of Seattle since 2017. The Oklahoma native was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Tulsa. An altar server as a boy, he later was pastor of three parishes in Tulsa.

Calvo, who turns 70 next month, has headed the northern Nevada diocese since 2006.

Mueggenborg received a bachelor of science degree in geology from Oklahoma State University in 1984, studied pre-theology at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana and earned degrees in theology and biblical theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

In Oklahoma, he served on the boards of directors for Ascension Healthcare and Catholic Charities of Tulsa.

Calvo said in a statement he was retiring for health reasons. He said Reno is fortunate that Mueggenborg “has been sent to us.”

“He brings to his ministry many personal gifts and a variety of pastoral experiences,” he said.

“These past four years in Western Washington have been a blessed experience and I look forward to continuing my ministry in the Diocese of Reno,” Mueggenborg said in an Archdiocese of Seattle news release. “I am particularly grateful to our Holy Father for this appointment.”

RELATED: Bishop Mueggenborg's letter to Catholics in the Archdiocese of Seattle

KNKX staff contributed to this report.

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