New archbishops named for Halifax and St. John's

Archbishop-elect Anthony Mancini

By DEBORAH GYAPONG
Canadian Catholic News
Ottawa

Pope Benedict has appointed two new archbishops to fill vacancies in Halifax and St. John's, Nfld.

Montreal Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Mancini will be installed in Halifax on Nov. 29; Grand Falls Bishop Martin Currie will be installed in St. John's on Nov. 30.

Currie, 63, had been serving as apostolic administrator of St. John's after Archbishop Brendan O'Brien took up a new assignment in Kingston, Ont.

"A little bit overwhelmed," is how Currie described the appointment, because he will still be keeping his present diocese.

"But also, I suppose I was pleased that the holy father and those who choose have confidence in me to give me that position."

Archbishop-elect Martin Currie

Mancini, 61, said he was "happy to be asked and glad to accept the challenge," though he described the move as a "major uprooting" because he has served in Montreal all his life.

Mancini said he sees the move to Nova Scotia as symbolic for him because he entered Canada in 1948 through Halifax's Pier 21 as a three-year-old with his Italian immigrant parents. Otherwise, his only experience with the diocese is teaching at a retreat for priests.

He will also take on duties as apostolic administrator of the Yarmouth Diocese.

Currie said he will also take time to get to know St. John's, as he is not familiar with the area. He grew up in Sheet Harbour, N.S., did missionary work in Peru and served as vicar general in Halifax before being appointed to Grand Falls in 2001.

He has just been appointed the new spiritual director for the Catholic Women's League, replacing Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith.

Currie is recovering from a serious Sept. 9 car accident.

Driving back from a ceremony instituting the new diocese of Corner Brook and Labrador, he swerved to avoid a moose, lost control of the car, and rolled over a steep embankment, flipping the car several times.

Currie broke his ankle and has been getting around in a wheelchair.

"I realize I could have been killed," he said. "So I'm very grateful to have the gift of life."

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