Peter Baldacchino

Last updated

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Peter Baldacchino
Bishop of Las Cruces
Archdiocese Santa Fe
Diocese Las Cruces
AppointedMay 15, 2019
InstalledJuly 23, 2019
Predecessor Oscar Cantú
Orders
OrdinationMay 25, 1996
by  Theodore Edgar McCarrick
ConsecrationMarch 19, 2014
by  Thomas Gerard Wenski, Patrick Pinder, and Charles Henry Dufour
Personal details
Born (1960-12-05) December 5, 1960 (age 63)
Sliema, Malta
Previous post(s)
MottoUbi dominus ibidem laetitia
(Where the Lord is, there is joy)
Styles of
Peter Baldacchino
Coat of arms of Peter Baldacchino.svg
Reference style
Spoken style Your Excellency
Religious style Bishop

Peter Baldacchino (born December 5, 1960) is a Maltese-born American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Since July 23, 2019, he has been serving as the bishop of the Diocese of Las Cruces in New Mexico. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Miami in Florida from 2014 to 2019.

Contents

Early life and education

Baldacchino was born on December 5, 1960, in Sliema, Malta. He was educated at Mount Carmel College, now Saint Elias College. While he was a student at the University of Malta he became interested in the Neocatechumenal Way, a Catholic formation movement. [1] He earned a diploma in sciences from the University of Malta and electrical installation licenses from the Umberto Calosso Trade School in Malta. After graduation, Baldacchino worked for several years as technical manager at a Canada Dry bottling plant in Malta. [2]

Baldacchino did not start thinking about the priesthood until he attended the 1989 World Youth Day in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. [3] He eventually decided to move to the United States to attend the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Newark, New Jersey, that was operated by the Neocatechumenal Way. [2]

He received Bachelor of Arts degree from Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, New Jersey. [4] While studying at the Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, he lived at the Neocatechumenal Way's Redemptoris Mater Missionary House of Formation in Kearny, New Jersey. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Seton Hall.

Career

Priesthood

Baldacchino was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Newark at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark on May 25, 1996, by Archbishop Theodore McCarrick. [5]

After his ordination, Baldacchino served as the parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Ridgewood, New Jersey, from 1996 to 1999. He was assigned as the chancellor of the Mission Sui Iuris of Turks and Caicos in 1999. In 2002 he became the pastor of Our Lady of Providence Parish on Providenciales Island of Turks and Caicos [4] Pope Benedict XVI named Baldacchino a chaplain of his holiness, with the title of monsignor. [1]

Auxiliary Bishop of Miami

Pope Francis named Baldacchino as titular bishop of Vatarba and an auxiliary bishop of Miami on February 20, 2014. [6] He was consecrated on March 19, 2014, by Archbishop Thomas Wenski. Archbishops Patrick Pinder and Charles Dufour were the principal co-consecrators. [7] [5]

Bishop of Las Cruces

On May 15, 2019, Pope Francis appointed Baldacchino bishop of Las Cruces. [8] [5] He is the first prelate associated with the Neocatechumenal Way to head a diocese in the United States. [3] He was installed on July 23, 2019.

Baldacchino holds dual citizenship in the United States and Malta. He is fluent in English, Italian, Maltese, Spanish and Creole. [4]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "Pope names Caribbean missionary as new Miami auxiliary bishop". Catholic News Agency. February 20, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Most Rev. Peter Baldacchino". Diocese of Las Cruces. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Brockhaus, Hannah (May 15, 2019). "Pope Francis names Bishop Baldacchino to lead Las Cruces diocese". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 "Pope Names Springfield, Illinois Priest as Bishop of Wichita, Kansas and Newark Priest as Auxiliary Bishop of Miami". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. February 20, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 "Bishop Peter Baldacchino [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Rinunce e Nomine, 20.03.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. March 20, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  7. ↑ "The mission continues, now in Miami". Archdiocese of Miami. March 19, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Resignations and Appointments, 15.05.2019" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. May 15, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Las Cruces
2019–present		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
–
 Auxiliary Bishop of Miami
2014–2019		Succeeded by
–
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