Saint John Bishop Robert Harris set to retire

The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John is resigning, the Vatican announced on Tuesday.

Robert Harris, 75, has served as the bishop and pastor of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception since 2007.

His retirement takes effect on Dec. 9.

Pope Francis has appointed Christian Riesbeck, the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Ottawa, as Harris's successor.

Riesbeck, 49, who was born in Montreal, speaks English, French and Spanish.

"The people of New Brunswick will come to know him as a dynamic pastor who encourages all to be missionary disciples ready to share his episcopal motto Evangelii gaudium — the 'joy of the gospel' — with others," Ottawa Archbishop Terrence Prendergast said in a statement.

The Diocese of Saint John has 28 parishes, 68 churches and chapels, with a Catholic population of about 115,400 served by 53 priests, two deacons, and 66 nuns.

Harris oversaw the closing of several churches and merging of parishes in recent years, as well as restoration work on Saint John's historic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

The cathedral's heritage foundation embarked upon a $10-million restoration campaign in 2013 to help pay for upgrades to the building, which opened in 1853 and is a provincially designated heritage site.

Riesbeck, who has a bachelor's degree in political science, was ordained a priest in 1996 and installed as auxiliary bishop of Ottawa in 2014.

His ministry has included pastoral assignments in Eastern Ontario and Houston, Texas, and the office of Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Ottawa.

Riesbeck has also held the office of judge of the regional tribunal.