Pope Francis Daily

WASHINGTON (CNS) — Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Alberto Rojas, who has been an auxiliary bishop of the Chicago Archdiocese since 2011, as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of San Bernardino, California.

The appointment was announced in Washington Dec. 2 by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Bishop Gerald R. Barnes, 74, heads the San Bernardino Diocese. He turns 75 next June, the age at which canon law requires bishops to turn their resignation into the pope. As coadjutor, Bishop Rojas automatically becomes head of the diocese upon Bishop Barnes’ retirement or death.

The San Bernardino Diocese has over 1.7 million Catholics out of a total population of over 4.5 million.

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