Fresh from Alaska: Bp. Warfel to Montana

From today's Vatican bulletino:

VATICAN CITY, NOV 20, 2007 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Michael W. Warfel of Juneau, U.S.A., as bishop of Great Falls-Billings (area 241,276, population 391,360, Catholics 51,629, priests 74, permanent deacons 6, religious 81), USA.

Rocco had it first.

Great Falls-Billings has been without a bishop for 16 months.

Other vacant dioceses (and date made vacant):

• Little Rock AR - 2006 May
• Shreveport LA - 2006 Dec
• Virgin Islands (US) - 2007 Jan
• Des Moines IA - 2007 Apr
• New Ulm MN - 2007 Apr
• Knoxville TN - 2007 Jun
• Green Bay - 2007 Jul
• Charleston SC - 2007 Aug

More:

• Article: "A culture based on lies weakens its structures and cannot endure" - Bp. Warfel
• Book: Fathers, Sons and Brothers: Catholic Men Transforming the World - Bp. Warfel