ARCHBISHOP OF SANTA FE IS ADMINISTRATOR OF PHOENIX DIOCESE

VATICAN CITY, JUN 20, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy See Press Office has confirmed that Archbishop Michael Sheehan of Santa Fe in New Mexico, U.S.A., became the apostolic administrator of the diocese of Phoenix upon the resignation on June 18 of Bishop Thomas O'Brien. Phoenix is a suffragan diocese of the archdiocese of Santa Fe.

Canon 421 of the Code of Canon Law states:

"Para 1. Within eight days of receiving the notice of the vacancy of the episcopal see, the diocesan administrator, that is, he who governs the diocese in the interim, must be elected by the college of consultors, with due regard for the prescription of can. 502, para 3.

"Para 2. If within the prescribed time the diocesan administrator for any reason at all has not been legitimately elected, the choosing of the same devolves upon the metropolitan, and if the vacant see is itself the metropolitan church or the metropolitan church is vacant as well as the suffragan, it devolves upon the senior suffragan bishop in terms of promotion."

OP;ADMINISTRATOR PHOENIX;...;SHEEHAN;VIS;20030620;Word: 90;