Philadelphia monsignor named New York bishop

Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. Nelson J. Perez, pastor of St. Agnes parish in West Chester, as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Rockville Centre on Long Island.

Perez, 50, was founding director of the Catholic Institute for Evangelization in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and has been a longtime leader in its outreach to the Hispanic community.

With 1.5 million members, the Diocese of Rockville Centre is about the same size as the Philadelphia archdiocese.

Born in Miami to parents of Cuban ancestry, Perez grew up in West New York, N.J., in the Diocese of Newark, and was ordained a priest in 1989.

During his time in the Philadelphia archdiocese, he has been parochial vicar of St. Ambrose parish in Philadelphia, assistant director of the Office for Hispanic Catholics, and director of the Catholic Institute for Evangelization. He was pastor of St. William parish in Philadelphia from 2002 to 2009.

Perez will be ordained a bishop by Bishop William F. Murphy at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre on July 25.