Pope names Juneau’s Bishop Burns as new bishop of Dallas

CatholicAnchor.org

Pope Francis has named Bishop Edward Burns, 59, of Juneau as the next bishop of Dallas, Texas.

The appointment was publicized in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 13 by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Bishop Burns succeeds Bishop Kevin Farrell, who headed the Diocese of Dallas before being appointed by Pope Francis as the first prefect of the Vatican’s new Laity, Family and Life Dicastery in August 2016.

“I am humbled and grateful to our Holy Father, Pope Francis, for this appointment as the next bishop of the Diocese of Dallas,” Bishop Burns told Juneau’s Southeast Alaska Catholic newspaper. “At the same time, this announcement fills my heart with gratitude for the privilege and honor of serving the priests, deacons, religious and faithful of the Diocese of Juneau.”

He added, “I am profoundly grateful for my experience in Southeast Alaska and I pray for God’s grace as I take on my new duties as chief shepherd of the Diocese of Dallas.”

Bishop Burns will be installed in Dallas on Feb. 9 at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

The new assignment marks the second time in just over a month that an Alaska diocese has seen a bishop move on. On Nov. 9 Anchorage Archbishop Roger Schwietz retired and was replaced by Archbishop Paul Etienne.

Upon hearing of Bishop Burns new post, the new Anchorage archbishop praised the former Juneau prelate.

“Juneau has been fortunate to have him for the past eight years and the people of Dallas are very blessed to have him as their new shepherd,” Archbishop Etienne told the Catholic Anchor.

Bishop Burns was born Oct. 7, 1957, in Pittsburgh. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, and he holds a master of divinity degree and a master of arts degree in theology from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1983 and ordained as a bishop in 2009, when Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as bishop of Juneau.

During 2016, Bishop Burns has been a member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Administrative Committee and the Subcommittee on Catholic Home Missions. He is also chairman of the USCCB Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People.

Bishop Burns’ responsibilities will be vastly expanded with his new assignment. Juneau has a Catholic population of 10,000, compared to the Diocese of Dallas with 1.3 million Catholics.

For the second time in less than nine years, Juneau will be without a bishop. In January 2008, former Juneau bishop, Bishop Michael Warfel was selected to lead the Diocese of Billings in Great Falls, Mont. This left Juneau without a bishop for most of 2008. Anchorage Archbishop Emeritus Roger Schwietz served as the apostolic administrator of the diocese.

Bishop Burns brings a wealth of experience to his new post in Dallas, both on the diocesan and national levels. Early on, he worked extensively with the formation of seminarians, deacons and priests when serving in Pittsburgh. He has also worked with newly ordained priests as well as with those who need continuing education or preparation for retirement.

In 1999, he began working for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as the executive director of the Secretariat for Vocations and Priestly Formation.

In 2002, he served as co-chair of the Third Continental Congress on Vocations to Ordained Ministry and Consecrated Life in North America, which was called by Pope John Paul II and took place in Montreal.

His projects include rewriting the “Program of Priestly Formation,” and serving as staff during the Apostolic Seminary Visitations, during which U.S. seminaries underwent extensive reviews in 2006. Bishop Burns worked as rector of St. Paul Seminary in Pittsburgh before taking the post as bishop of Juneau back in 2009.

Bishop Burns also initiated the popular vocation program for the priesthood entitled “Priestly Life and Vocation Summit: Fishers of Men.”

In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI gave him the honorary title of monsignor, a distinction given by popes to certain priests in recognition of their service to the church.

Bishop Burns is also very active in engaging the public square. He maintains an active Twitter account and while in Juneau wrote columns for the Juneau Empire newspaper on topics such as care of creation, care for the poor and defending the life of the unborn, among other issues. He has also spoken at numerous retreats and conventions across the country and has accepted multiple invitations to teach at World Youth Day events.