Pope Francis has named Bishop Nelson J. Perez, Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio, as the Archbishop-designate of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The appointment was publicized this morning, January 23, in Washington, D.C., by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States.
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“I am deeply grateful to the Holy Father for this appointment and his confidence in me. It is with great joy tinged with a sense of sadness that I accept the appointment -- joy that I will be returning to serve the archdiocese in which I was ordained to the priesthood, where I served as the pastor of two parishes and where I held several leadership positions within the archdiocese, and sadness that I will be leaving an area and the incredible people in Northeast Ohio I have come to love deeply,” said Bishop Perez. “I will never forget the kindness and hospitality of the people of the Diocese of Cleveland. They will remain in my heart and prayers always. As change is an ever-present part of life, I now turn my attention southeastward as I look forward to my return to Pennsylvania to shepherd the people of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.”
Bishop Perez was installed at the 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland on September 5, 2017. Among his accomplishments during his tenure as Bishop of Cleveland, Bishop Perez launched an initiative to develop a strategic plan aimed at strengthening Catholic education in the diocese. He implemented changes in elementary religion teaching focused on St. John Paul’s Theology of the Body curriculum. In a move to ensure that youth and young adults are fully involved in the life of the local Church, Bishop Perez put into place initiatives such as a special “think tank” to make recommendations on youth and young adult engagement the diocese. He invited missionaries from The Culture Project, an organization of young adults dedicated to teaching other young people about the virtues of chastity and human dignity, to bring their ministry to the diocese.
A kind, joyous and hard-working person, Bishop Perez is best described as proactive, involved and supportive in his leadership style. In the Diocese of Cleveland he made the visitation of parishes, schools and many other Catholic and community organizations a top priority. He was tireless in his desire to get to know the people and places of the diocese.
“I am especially grateful to the priests, deacons, consecrated religious and all the faithful of the Diocese of Cleveland and, needless to say, my senior staff and all who work with me at the diocese for their help over the past two and a half years in continuing to advance the mission of the Church in the diocese with great passion and dedication. I will never forget the kindness and faithfulness of the people of the Diocese of Cleveland.”
Archbishop-designate Perez will remain at the helm of the Diocese of Cleveland until his installation as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on February 18. Direction on the future governance of the Diocese of Cleveland is forthcoming.
Archbishop-designate Perez will be introduced to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia at a press conference at 10 a.m. today in Philadelphia. The event can be viewed live on the diocesan website.
Bishop Perez was appointed by Pope Francis as the 11thBishop of the Diocese of Cleveland on July 11, 2017. He was installed at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on September 5, 2017.
As a part of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Bishop Perez serves as chair of the Bishops’ Standing Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church. He also serves as a member of the Administrative and the Religious Liberty Committees for the USCCB. In November 2018, Bishop Perez began a three-year term as the bishop liaison for the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM). Bishop Perez was former chair of the Bishops’ Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs, served as the lead bishop for the V Encuentro process for the USCCB and is a former member of the Bishops’ Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.