Pope Francis today named three priests – including the Rev. Efren V. Esmilla, pastor at St. Martin of Tours – as auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Esmilla has also been a parochial vicar at Maternity BVM (2001-03) and St. Martha (2005-06).
The other new bishops will be the Rev. Christopher Cooke, the Dean of Men at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and a former St. Martin’s parochial vicar (2008 to 2012), and the Rev. Keith J. Chylinski, Rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and a parochial vicar at St. Anselm from 2007-11.
Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez held a news conference this morning to introduce the three Bishops-elect.
Esmilla, 61, Cooke, 50, and Chylinski, 52, concelebrated with Perez a Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul for the Immaculate Conception, a Holy Day of Obligation.
Retired Auxiliary Bishop Edward Deliman, a former St. Martin’s pastor, also concelebrated. ••
