News Release #411

Bishop John C. Nienstedt named Coadjutor Archbishop

New Ulm , MN – Today Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop John C. Nienstedt as Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis . Archbishop Harry Flynn has indicated that he intends to invite the new coadjutor archbishop to share full leadership of the archdiocese. According to Canon Law: a coadjutor archbishop shares with the archbishop the governance, administration, and pastoral ministry of an archdiocese. An archbishop consults regularly with his coadjutor on important matters regarding the archdiocese. A coadjutor archbishop immediately succeeds the local archbishop upon his resignation and automatically takes his place if he is absent or incapacitated.

At the same time, the Holy Father has assigned Bishop Nienstedt to be the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of New Ulm until another bishop has been named. Archbishop Nienstedt will have the same administrative, executive, and legislative power of a diocesan bishop.

Archbishop Nienstedt is a native of Detroit , born March 18, 1947 . He was ordained to the priesthood on July 27, 1974 , at Sacred Heart Church , Dearborn , Michigan .

On June 12, 1996 , he was appointed Titular Bishop of Alton and Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and ordained as Auxiliary Bishop July 9, 1996. On August 8, 1996 , he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop for the south region of the Archdiocese serving 88 parishes.

On June 12, 2001 , he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as the third Bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota.

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A photo of Bishop Nienstedt, his biography, and a curriculum vitae is available on the New Ulm Diocesan Web site, www.dnu.org or by contacting the Office of Communications, (507) 359-2966.