Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Having been informed by His Eminence, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, that the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has appointed me Bishop of the Diocese of Venice, I accept this appointment with trust in the Providence of God.

I wish first to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Holy Father for his prayerful support and for the confidence he has placed in me through this appointment. Mindful of the weight of this responsibility, I entrust myself to Our Lady of Mercy and to St. Mark, co-patrons of this youthful and thriving Diocese of Venice.

I am thrilled to be here and filled with joy to begin this new chapter together in faith and charity. I am also eager to join you in the great task of evangelization, growing together in our knowledge of Christ and sharing the profound hope of the gospel.

I wish to express sincere gratitude to Bishop Dewane, who has faithfully shepherded this local Church for twenty years. His pastoral charity, generous heart, and warm welcome have already been a great gift to me. I look forward to continuing to seek his guidance as I begin this ministry.

With particular affection, I thank my Capuchin Provincial Minister, Fr. Robert Marva, the members of the Provincial Council, Fr. Brian, Fr. Paul and Fr. John Paul, and my capuchin brothers for their fraternal and prayerful support throughout my life.

I thank Cardinal McElroy and Bishop Esposito from the Archdiocese of Washington for their support and attentiveness during these past few days, in preparation for this announcement.

Permit me to share with you one of the Sayings of Light and Love, of St. John of the Cross, which has accompanied me throughout my life:

#73 What does it profit you to give God one thing,
if He ask of you another?
Consider what – it is – God wants, and then do it.
You will as a result better satisfy your heart
than with that toward which you yourself are inclined.

I look forward to entering into the life of this local Church: to know its people, to understand its history, to appreciate its customs and traditions, and to learn the events that have shaped the spiritual character of this region. I hope to discover not only the history written in books and archives, but also the living history preserved in families, parishes, neighborhoods and their witness to Christ.

To the Priests of the Diocese of Venice, my principal and closest collaborators, I offer my fraternal greetings and deep respect. I look forward to meeting with you in small groups and individually, praying with you, listening, and serving with you.

To the women and men religious serving in the diocese, thank you for the witness of your consecrated lives. I hope soon to meet you personally, and to support your evangelical form of life in the Church.

I also extend my gratitude to the lay leaders of the diocese and of the parishes, whose fidelity and generous service prove indispensable to the mission and structure of the Church. Your witness in marriage and extended family reveals the vitality of the Gospel lived in daily life.

Today, the Catholic Church in the United States stands at an important and historic moment as the new edition of the Liturgy of the Hours is prepared for distribution. Not since 1975 has there been such a significant revision of this treasured prayer of the Church. I am eager to listen to creative initiatives that will help us receive this new edition fruitfully and renew the Church’s life of prayer, and our own life of prayer. In rediscovering the beauty of the Church’s daily prayer, may we deepen our communion with Christ and strengthen the spiritual foundations of our mission.