Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades as the ninth Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, transferring him from the Diocese of Harrisburg, the Vatican announced in a press release today.

Rhoades had served as bishop of the Harrisburg diocese since December 2004, when he was ordained and installed as Harrisburg's ninth bishop. The diocese includes York County. He will be installed as bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend on Jan.13, 2010.

Rhoades traveled to Fort Wayne on Friday, Nov. 13, to be there for the announcement.

In a statement to the people of his new diocese, Bishop Rhoades expressed his feelings about leaving his home diocese of Harrisburg:

"Naturally, it will not be easy for me to bid farewell to my family and friends, my brother priests and the faithful of the Harrisburg diocese. I express my deep gratitude to them for their support, prayers, and affection. It has been a tremendous blessing in my life to serve as bishop of Harrisburg and indeed to have served as a priest of the Diocese of Harrisburg for 26 years," he said.

Rhoades said his "greatest joys as bishop have been in being with the people, teaching the faith, and celebrating the sacraments." He said he looks forward to continuing those activities in his new diocese. The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend differs from the Diocese of Harrisburg in that it has five Catholic colleges and universities, including the internationally-renowned University of Notre Dame.

Rhoades

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noted that his only prior visit to the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend was to attend a game between his two favorite college football teams, Notre Dame and Penn State. He celebrated Mass after that game in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the Notre Dame campus.