Pope names three Auxiliary Bishops for New York

Pope Francis has named three priests of the Archdiocese of New York as auxiliary bishops of the archdiocese. They are: Mgr John Jenik, 70, pastor of Our Lady of Refuge Parish in the Bronx and vicar for Northwest Bronx; Father John O’Hara, 68, archdiocesan vicar for planning; and Father Peter Byrne, 62, pastor of St Elizabeth Church in New York City.

The appointments were publicized in Washington, June 14, by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

John Jenik was born in Manhattan, March 7, 1944. In 1962, he entered Cathedral College and in 1964, St. Joseph’s Seminary, in Yonkers, New York, where he earned a bachelor of arts degree. He later attended the University of Ponce, in Puerto Rico, and earned a master’s degree in education from Fordham University.

Bishop-elect Jenik was ordained a priest for the New York archdiocese in 1970. In 1974, he was appointed parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in the Bronx and began a near 40-year effort to provide housing for the poor and to fight crime, corruption, drugs and prostitution. In 2006, he was named vicar for the Northwest Bronx. He was named a monsignor in 1995.

John O’Hara was born February 7, 1946, in Jersey City, New Jersey. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in English from Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. From 1967-1980, he worked in journalism and broadcasting.

Bishop-elect O’Hara attended St. Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers in 1980, and was ordained a priest for the New York archdiocese in 1984. His first assignment after ordination was as parochial vicar, St. Augustine Parish, New York City. In 1988, he was named parochial vicar of St Charles Parish, Staten Island, New York. In 1992, he was named parochial vicar of St. Teresa of the Infant Jesus Parish, Staten Island. He later was named administrator and then pastor of the parish. In 2013, he was named archdiocesan vicar for planning.

Peter Byrne was born in Manhattan, New York, on July 24, 1951. He holds a bachelor of arts degree in history/social studies from Fordham University.

Bishop-elect Byrne attended St Joseph’s Seminary, Yonkers and was ordained a priest for the New York archdiocese in 1984. His first assignment after ordination was as parochial vicar for Holy Family Parish in the Bronx. In 1992, he was named administrator of St Thomas Aquinas Parish, in the Bronx. In 1994, he was named administrator of Immaculate Conception and St. John the Baptist Parishes on Staten Island and became pastor in 1995. In 2013, he was named pastor of the Church of St Elizabeth, in New York City.

Source: USCCB