In rare move, Pope permits New Jersey bishop to govern diocese until 80th birthday
March 18, 2025
Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Dennis Sullivan as bishop of Camden, New Jersey, on March 17, his 80th birthday. Bishop Sullivan is succeeded by Bishop Joseph Williams, his coadjutor since last year.
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Diocesan bishops are required to submit their resignations to the Roman Pontiff when they turn 75. It is extremely rare for a Pope to delay acceptance of the resignation for five years: indeed, outside of China and the Eastern Catholic churches, there is only one active diocesan bishop in the world who is 80 or older. (Archbishop Dionisio García Ibáñez of Santiago, Cuba, turned 80 in January.)
Over the past year, Pope Francis has accepted the resignations of three 80-year-old cardinals: Cardinal Seán O’Malley of Boston five weeks after his 80th birthday, Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai a month after his 80th birthday, and Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna on his 80th birthday.
In the dioceses of the United States, there are now no active bishops who are 79 or older. Two are 78, and two are 77.
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