With gratitude and joy I acknowledge the new gift of Pope John Paul II to the Archdiocese of Baltimore in the appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Bishop-elect W. Francis Malooly. Bishop Malooly has served with great distinction and dedication as Vicar General and Chancellor for the past eleven years and, earlier, in a number of other responsible parochial and archdiocesan assignments.
The Lord has blessed Bishop Malooly with gifts of a deep faith, infectious good humor, and great energy for sharing the gospel of Jesus. I am delighted that the Holy Father has selected one of our own priests for this assignment, and I am confident that those who know Bishop Malooly share in my joy.
For the time being he will continue as Vicar General and Chancellor. When he is ordained a bishop early in March, I shall appoint him as successor to Bishop P. Francis Murphy as Vicar of our Western Vicariate, comprising Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, and Washington Counties. He knows well the challenges and the opportunities of the Church in that Vicariate. For well over a year he has been supervising the parishes there, working closely with the pastors who serve as Vicars Forane. I anticipate that Bishop Malooly will also have other major archdiocesan responsibilities in the future, and these will be determined by the time of his episcopal ordination.