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Pope Francis Appoints New Bishop For Diocese Of Bridgeport

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- The Most Rev. Frank J. Caggiano will be installed as the fifth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport on Sept. 19, Pope Francis announced Wednesday from the Vatican.

The Most Rev. Frank J. Caggiano, the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y., will succeed the Most Rev. William E. Lori as the Bishop of Bridgeport.

The Most Rev. Frank J. Caggiano, the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y., will succeed the Most Rev. William E. Lori as the Bishop of Bridgeport.

Photo Credit: Diocese of Bridgeport

The diocese encompasses all of Fairfield County and includes more than 400,000 Roman Catholics. It celebrates its 60th anniversary this month. 

Caggiano is now the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, N.Y., according to the website for the Bridgeport Diocese. He will succeed the Most Rev. William E. Lori, who was named archbishop of Baltimore in March 2012. 

“The Diocese of Bridgeport welcomes the news of Bishop Caggiano’s appointment. The Holy Father has blessed us with a priest, pastor and teacher with extensive experience at every level of diocesan ministries," said Monsignor Jerald A. Doyle, who has served as administrator of the Bridgeport Diocese since May 2012.

"Most importantly, he is a man of deep faith, love for the church and commitment to the Gospel. On behalf of the clergy, religious and laity, we welcome him with open arms and with our prayers that God will bless him as the Shepherd of our diocese,” said Doyle, who will continue to serve as administrator until Caggiano is installed as bishop.

The Installation Mass will be celebrated Sept. 19, but details of the time and location have not yet been worked out.

Caggiano was born in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn on Easter Sunday March 29, 1959, the second of two children of Arnaldo and Gennarina Caggiano. Both of his parents came to this country in 1958 from the town of Caggiano in the province of Salerno, Italy.

Caggiano entered Yale University in September 1977 as a political science major. But after further discernment, he transferred into Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception in January 1978 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in philosophy in June 1981.

He worked for 18 months as a sales representative for the Gregg Division of McGraw Hill Publishing Co., then began his major seminary studies at the Immaculate Conception Seminary in Huntington, N.Y. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 16, 1987.

Caggiano served as a parochial vicar in the parishes of Saint Agatha in the Sunset Park section of Brooklyn and Saint Athanasius in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. In August 1991, he went to the North American College in Rome to study dogmatic theology, earning a doctorate in May 1996.

He was assigned as parochial vicar in the Shrine Church of Saint Jude in Canarsie in June 1996 and as pastor of Saint Dominic’s Church in Bensonhurst in December 1998.  He was named a Papal Chaplain by Pope John Paul II in 2003.

On June 6, 2006, Caggiano was appointed auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn and titular bishop of Inis Cathaig by Pope Benedict XVI. 

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