Pope names Diocese of Rockville Centre's auxiliary bishop as New Hampshire Bishop

Pope Benedict XVI named Peter Anthony Libasci, the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre since June 1, 2007, as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire on Monday.

Bishop-designate Libasci, who is also bi-ritual and celebrates the Divine Liturgy in the Byzantine Ruthenian Catholic Church, will be installed as the 10th Bishop of Manchester on Dec. 8 at Saint Joseph Cathedral.

“While I will greatly miss his wise counsel and tireless apostolic spirit as Vicar of the Eastern Region of our Diocese, I rejoice that the Holy Father has chosen one of the priests of this Diocese to lead the Diocese of Manchester, which I know well and whose current bishop is a long time friend with whom I shared Episcopal ordination on Dec. 27, 1995,” said Bishop William Murphy of the Diocese of Rockville Centre in a written statement.

Libasci, 59, was born in Queens, attended Catholic schools throughout his childhood and became a priest on April 1, 1978.

“I am grateful to Almighty God who has brought me into being, to my parents who gave me life and to my family, friends and my Holy Catholic Church — all of who have sustained me to this very hour,” said Libasci, in a press release.