Pope Francis has appointed a new bishop to the Diocese of Gaylord, Jeffrey J. Walsh; In his new position, the Bishop will replace the former Bishop Steven Raica, who is now the bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham. 

Walsh is currently serving as a priest in the Diocese of Scranton and is the pastor of Saint Rose of Lima in Carbondale. 

“Please join us in praying for Bishop-elect Jeffrey J. Walsh over the next several months as he prepares to take pastoral leadership of our diocese by using the prayer below.  Bishop-elect Walsh’s episcopal ordination and installation as sixth bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord has been set for March 4, 2022, at 2 p.m. in St. Mary Cathedral, Gaylord,” the Diocese of Gaylord shared on Facebook. 

The prayer that the diocese is asking parishioners to pray is the following: “O God, eternal and loving Shepherd, we bless and thank you for the appointment of your servant, Bishop-elect Jeffrey J. Walsh, to our Diocese of Gaylord.  May your Holy Spirit grace him with a spirit of counsel and fortitude, a spirit of knowledge and piety, so that he may gently and courageously sanctify, teach and govern the Church of Gaylord as we work together building up the kingdom of heaven. May he be a shepherd after your own heart, who with compassion and wise discernment will care for and lead your people with the joy of the Gospel. May his example remind us of what it means to be Christ’s heart of mercy, voice of hope to the hopeless, and hands of justice. In your faithfulness and love, bless us all in this time of transition and change. We pray for renewed zeal for the Church of Gaylord to be a light to the world. We ask this through your Son Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.  Amen.”