Peter Baldacchino

Peter Baldacchino (born December 5, 1960) is a Maltese-born Catholic bishop in the United States. Since July 23, 2019, he has been the Bishop of Las Cruces in New Mexico. He previously was an Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Miami.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Peter Baldacchino
Bishop of Las Cruces
ArchdioceseSanta Fe
DioceseLas Cruces
AppointedMay 15, 2019
InstalledJuly 23, 2019
PredecessorOscar Cantú
Orders
OrdinationMay 25, 1996
by Theodore Edgar McCarrick
ConsecrationMarch 19, 2014
by Thomas Gerard Wenski, Patrick Pinder, and Charles Henry Dufour
Personal details
Born (1960-12-05) December 5, 1960
Sliema, Malta
Previous postAuxiliary Bishop of Miami
MottoUBI DOMINUS IBIDEM LÆTITIA
Styles of
Peter Baldacchino
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Early life and education

Baldacchino was born in Sliema, Malta. He was educated in Mount Carmel College, now Saint Elias College. While he was a student at the University of Malta he became interested in the Neocatechumenal Way.[1] He earned a diploma in sciences from the University of Malta, electrical installation licenses from Umberto Calosso Trade School in Malta, and a bachelor of arts degree from Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, New Jersey.[2] He attended the 1989 World Youth Day in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.[3] While studying at the Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall University he lived in community at the Neocatechumenal Way’s Redemptoris Mater Missionary House of Formation in Kearny, New Jersey. He received a master of divinity degree from Seton Hall. Baldacchino was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Newark on May 25, 1996, by Archbishop Theodore McCarrick.[4] He holds dual citizenship in both the United States and Malta.[2]

Priest

After ordination, Baldacchino served as the parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Ridgewood, New Jersey, from 1996 to 1999. He was assigned as the chancellor of the Roman Catholic Mission Sui Iuris of Turks and Caicos in 1999. In 2002 he became the pastor of Our Lady of Providence Church on Providenciales Island.[2] Pope Benedict XVI named Baldacchino a Chaplain of His Holiness, with the title of Monsignor.[1] He is fluent in English, Italian, Maltese, Spanish and Creole.[2]

Episcopacy

Auxiliary Bishop of Miami

Pope Francis named Baldacchino the titular Bishop of Vatarba and an auxiliary bishop of Miami on February 20, 2014.[5] He was consecrated on March 19, 2014, by Archbishop Thomas Wenski. Archbishops Patrick Pinder of Nassau and Charles Dufour of Kingston in Jamaica were the principal co-consecrators.[6]

Bishop of Las Cruces

On May 15, 2019, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Las Cruces.[7] He is the first prelate associated with the Neocatechumenal Way named to head a U.S. diocese.[3] He was installed on July 23, 2019.

See also

References
  1. "Pope names Caribbean missionary as new Miami auxiliary bishop". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  2. "Pope Names Springfield, Illinois Priest as Bishop of Wichita, Kansas and Newark Priest as Auxiliary Bishop of Miami". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  3. Brockhaus, Hannah (May 15, 2019). "Pope Francis names Bishop Baldacchino to lead Las Cruces diocese". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  4. "Bishop Peter Baldacchino". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  5. "Rinunce e Nomine, 20.03.2014" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. March 20, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  6. "The mission continues, now in Miami". Archdiocese of Miami. March 19, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
  7. "Resignations and Appointments, 15.05.2019" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. May 15, 2019. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Oscar Cantú		 Bishop of Las Cruces
2019–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
–		 Auxiliary Bishop of Miami
2014–2019		 Succeeded by
–
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