Monday surprise: New bishop appointed to Cheyenne, Wyoming

Early Monday news from up north:

Pope Benedict XVI named Father Paul D. Etienne, 50, pastor of St. Paul Church in Tell City, Indiana, as Bishop of Cheyenne, Wyoming. 

Paul Etienne was born June 15, 1959, in Tell City. He graduated from Tell City High School and the University of St. Thomas, in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business. He attended North American College, Rome, and was ordained for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in 1992. He holds Bachelor and Licentiate of Theology degrees from the Gregorian University, Rome. 

... The Cheyenne Diocese comprises the state of Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park and includes 97,548 square miles. The total population of the diocese is estimated at 515,000 people, with 52,397, or ten percent, of them Catholic.

Whispers has his virtual hiking boots on for this one.

The folks at Wyoming Catholic College must be happy.

update - this comment from below deserves to be included here. I love these personal stories!

"A story once appeared in our Archdiocesan newspaper about the Etienne family. I had a great chuckle reading the part about Fr. Paul and his brother Fr. Bernie (both Vocations Directors) both trying to persuade their brother Zach (now Fr. Zach) to come and be a Priest in their respective Diocese. Fr. Bernie and the Diocese of Evansville won (for lack of a better word). I guess this is the Holy Spirit's idea of a consolation prize...lol. May God continue to bless Bishop-Elect Etienne and the people of Cheyenne!" - Adam Welp