Pope Accepts Resignation of Bishop Doran of Rockford, IL, Names Msgr. David Malloy to Succeed Him; Names Father Gregory Parkes of Diocese of Orlando, FL, as Bishop Of Pensacola-Tallahassee, FL

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has acceptedthe resignation of 76-year-old Bishop Thomas Doran from the pastoral governanceof the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois, and appointed Msgr. David Malloy, 56, formergeneral secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)to succeed him. The pope also appointed Father Gregory Parkes, vicar general ofthe Diocese of Orlando, Florida, as bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Florida,succeeding 72- year-old Bishop John Ricard, SSJ, who resigned for healthreasons last year.

Theresignation and appointments were publicized in Washington, March 20, by ArchbishopCarlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

DavidMalloy was born February 3, 1956, in Milwaukee. He graduated with a bachelor'sdegree in biology from Marquette University, and then studied for thepriesthood at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee and North AmericanCollege in Rome. He was ordained a priest for the archdiocese in 1983.

Priorto ordination he earned a bachelor's degree and a licentiate in theology fromthe Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. After ordination he earned alicentiate in canon law from Rome's Pontifical University of St. Thomas (Angelicum)and a doctorate in theology from the Gregorian University

Afterordination Bishop-elect Malloy was associate pastor at St. John Nepomuk Parish,in Racine, Wisconsin, 1984-1986. He studied for the Vatican Diplomatic Corps,1986-1990. His diplomatic corps assignments included secretary, apostolicnunciature, Pakistan, 1990-1994; secretary, apostolic nunciature, Syria, 1995;secretary, U.S. Permanent Observer to the Mission of the Holy See, 1995-1998.He also assisted in the Prefecture of the Papal Household at the Vatican,1998-2001.

Atthe USCCB, he served as associate general secretary, 2001-2006, and generalsecretary, 2006-2011. He was named administrator at St. Francis De SalesParish, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 2011-2012, and pastor of that parish in 2012.

GregoryParkes was born on April 2, 1964, in Mineola, New York. He earned a bachelor's degreein finance from Florida State in Tallahassee, and began studies for thepriesthood at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach, Florida. He continuedhis seminary studies at North American College, Rome, and earned a bachelor'sdegree in theology and a licentiate in canon law from the Gregorian University.

Hewas ordained a priest for the Orlando Diocese in 1999. Assignments afterordination included parochial vicar, Holy Family Parish, Orlando, 1999-2005;and founding pastor, Corpus Christi Parish, Celebration, Florida, 2005-present.He has served as chancellor of the diocese since 2005, and vicar general, since2009.

BishopDoran, a canon lawyer, has served on the USCCB Committee on Canonical Affairsand Church Governance and on the Board of North American College. BishopRicard, a member of the Josephite religious community, served on the USCCB Committeeson International Justice and Peace and on National Collections, and as chairmanof the USCCB Subcommittee on Africa.

TheRockford Diocese has a population of 1,858,723 people, with 456,965, or 25percent, of them Catholic. It includes 11 counties across 6,457 square miles inIllinois.

ThePensacola-Tallahassee Diocese has 1,388,562 persons, with 62,545, or fivepercent, of them Catholic. It includes 18 counties across 14,000 square milesin Florida.

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