News

Raleigh, N.C., June 8, 2006 - Pope Benedict XVI announced today the appointment of Bishop Michael F. Burbidge as the 5^th bishop for the Diocese of Raleigh. Bishop Burbidge, 48, has served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia since 2002.

Bishop Burbidge succeeds Bishop F. Joseph Gossman, whose letter of resignation was accepted by the Holy Father. Bishop Gossman celebrated his 76^th birthday April 1. He was named bishop of Raleigh April 8, 1975.

The announcement was made in Washington by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Bishop Burbidge holds a Doctorate in Education and Masters Degrees in Theology and Education Administration. Since 2004, he has been assigned to the Archdiocesan Office Center assisting Cardinal Justin Rigali with duties including the Office for the Vicar for Clergy, the Office for Communications and the Catholic Standard and Times, the archdiocesan newspaper.

He has been a member of the Archdiocesan Council for Priests and the Archdiocesan Priest Personnel Board. Nationally, he has served on four committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. They were Chair of the Sapientia Christiana Committee, a member of the Committee on Priestly Formation and is currently serving as Chair of the Conformity Review Team for the Catechism of the Catholic Church and is a member of the Committee on Catechesis.

A native of Philadelphia, Bishop Burbidge was born June 16, 1957 to Francis and Shirley Burbidge. He attended Catholic schools, graduating from Cardinal O'Hara High School in Springfield, Pennsylvania in 1975. He graduated Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania in 1984, being ordained to the priesthood in Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Bishop Burbidge's first two years were spent as parochial vicar at Saint Bernard Church in Philadelphia. From 1986 to 1991, he was assigned to high school teaching and in 1991-1992 served as Dean of Students at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. In 1992, he began a seven year assignment as Special Assistant to Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua. In 1999, he was named rector of the seminary, a position he held until 2004.

In 1998, he was named Honorary Prelate to His Holiness Pope John Paul II, with the title of Monsignor. He was named Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia and Titular Bishop of Cluain Iraird on June 21, 2002, being ordained to the Episcopacy September 5, 2002.

Bishop Burbidge, whose motto is "Walk Humbly with God," will be installed as Bishop of Raleigh on August 4, 2006.

Bishop Gossman will serve as Apostolic Administrator, in charge of the day-to-day operations of the diocese until Bishop Burbidge’s installation.