Pope Francis has accepted the retirementrnof Bishop Thomas John Curry as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of LosrnAngeles as he has reached age of 75, the retirement age for bishops.

The retirement was publicized inrnWashington, April 3, 2018, by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio tornthe United States. 

“Friends, the Holy Father todayrnaccepted the retirement of Bishop Thomas Curry. In this Easter season of joy,rnplease join me in praying for Bishop Curry, that his retirement may be a timernof prayer and peace,” Archbishop José H. Gomez said in a brief statement.

Bishop Curry was born January 17,rn1943, in Ireland. He attended All Hallows Seminary in Dublin and graduated fromrnUniversity College in Dublin with a bachelor’s degree in History in 1963. Inrn1973, he received a master’s degree in History at Loyola Marymount, LosrnAngeles, and went on to receive a Ph.D. in History from Claremont GraduaternSchool in 1983.

He was ordained to the priesthood onrnJune 18, 1967, at All Hallows in Dublin, Ireland, for the Archdiocese of LosrnAngeles.

Assignments after ordinationrnincluded: associate pastor, St. Bernadine, Woodland Hills, CA, 1967-1970;rnteacher, St. Pius X High School, Downey, CA, 1970-1975; graduate studies,rnClaremont Graduate School, Claremont, CA, 1975-1978; teacher, St. Paul HighrnSchool, Santa Fe Springs, CA, 1978-1979; director, Office of ContinuingrnEducation for Clergy, Los Angeles, 1976-1985; vicar for clergy, Archdiocese ofrnLos Angeles, 1985-1990; director, Secretariat for Church Ministerial Services,rnLos Angeles, 1991-1994. During this time, he was bestowed the papal honor ofrnthe titles Chaplain to His Holiness, 1984, and Prelate of Honor, 1988.

On February 8, 1994, he was appointedrnas Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by Pope John Paul II andrnwas ordained to the episcopate on March 19, 1994 for the Santa Barbara PastoralrnRegion.

BishoprnCurry was also a former chair of the Committee for Catholic Education at thernU.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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