Bishop George J. Lucas of the Catholic Diocese of Springfield, Illinois was named successor of the Archbishop of Omaha, Nebraska today by the pope. Bishop George Lucas will replace Archbishop Elden Curtiss, 76, who will retire.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Lucas "turns 60 next week and has been Springfield bishop since 1999."
Bishop George Lucas has embraced technology to minister, producing a weekly podcast of sermons and maintaining a blog.
In a statement on his blog, Bishop Lucas said, “Of course, accepting this new appointment means that I will be leaving the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, which has been my home for nearly 10 years. The joy of being able to say yes to the pope without hesitation is tempered by the sadness I feel at the prospect of leaving this diocese and all of you."
"It has been a blessing and an honor for me to serve as your bishop," he continued.