Pope Names Baltimore Priest as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Military Services

WASHINGTON—Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Father F. Richard Spencer, 58, a priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and up until now vice commandant of the military chaplains of the U.S. Forces in Europe, as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese for Military Services, USA, and Titular Bishop of Auzia.
           
The announcement was made public in Washington May 22, by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
           
F. Richard Spencer was born in Sylacauga, Alabama, in 1951. Before entering the seminary, he served as an active duty officer in the U.S. Army from 1974-1980. He completed his studies for the priesthood at St. Mary’s Seminary in Roland Park, Maryland, and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore by the late Archbishop William D. Borders in 1988. In 1991 he became a U.S. Army chaplain.
           
Father Spencer was promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army in 2005, and was appointed an Episcopal Vicar for the Archdiocese for the Military Services in 2006. He is currently serving in Germany.
           
Bishop-elect Spencer earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Jackson State University, Alabama; a Master in Educational Administration from the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse; and a Masters of Divinity from St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore.
           
Bishop-elect Spencer will join Archbishop Timothy Broglio and two other auxiliaries at the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, which encompasses every U.S. military installation at home and abroad. The date of his episcopal ordination has not been set.
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Keywords: Bishop-elect Spencer, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, episcopal announcement