Pope Francis names Daniel Thomas as new bishop of Toledo in the U.S.

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis has named Daniel Edward Thomas as the new bishop of Toledo in the U.S. He currently serves as the titular Bishop of Bardstown and as an auxiliary in the archdiocese of Philadelphia.

 

Brief Biography of Bishop Thomas:

 

Thomas was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 11th, 1959. He graduated from  Catholic High School in 1977, and then attended St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood  on May 18th, 1985, and then served as parochial vicar of Saint Joseph's Church in Aston.

 

In 1987, Thomas undertook graduate studies in dogmatic theology at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, earning his Licentiate of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1989. He was an official of the Congregation for Bishops in the Roman Curia for 15 years, from 1990 to 2005, whilst also  serving as spiritual director to the seminarians of the North American College.

 

Upon his return to the United States, he became pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Strafford on November 19, 2005.

 

On June 8, 2006, Thomas was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia and Titular Bishop of Bardstown by Pope Benedict XVI. He received his episcopal consecration on July 26th.  Bishop Thomas currently heads the Secretariat of Clergy in the archdiocesan curia, and oversees his alma mater of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and the Archdiocese's Vocation Office, as well as its Department for Media Affairs. 

 

In addition to his native English, Bishop Thomas speaks Italian and Spanish.