WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI named Father John M. LeVoir, 62, pastor of St. Michael Church, Stillwater, Minnesota, in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, as bishop of New Ulm, Minnesota.

The appointment was announced in Washington, July 14, by Msgr. Martin Krebs, Charge d/Affaires at the apostolic nunciature of the United States.

Bishop-elect LeVoir succeeds Archbishop John Nienstedt who was bishop of New Ulm until April 2007, when he was named co-adjutor archbishop and eventual Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

John M. LeVoir was born February 7, 1946, in Minneapolis. He graduated from De La Salle High School in Minneapolis, and attended the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, the University of Minnesota and the University of Dallas, where he attained a degree in accounting.

After working several years as an accountant, he entered St. Paul Seminary and was ordained a priest May 30, 1981, at the age of 35.

His pastoral assignment included associate pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, in St. Anthony, Minnesota; and pastor of Most Holy Trinity Parish, South St. Paul, from 1992 to 2004; St. Augustine Parish in South St. Paul, from 2000-2004; and pastor of St. Michael and St. Mary parishes in Stillwater, from 2004 to 2008.

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