On Thursday morning Pope Francis announced the next Auxiliary Bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Reverend Father Kevin Thomas Kenney, a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has been selected to fill the role.

Bishop-elect Kenney serves several roles in the Twin Cities; he is currently the pastor of the Church of St. Olaf in downtown Minneapolis, is the parochial administrator of the Church of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Minneapolis, and the chaplain at DeLaSalle High School.

Kenney reflected on his appointment in a press release.

“My phone rang on Saturday afternoon in late June as I had just settled into my office chair to prepare for weekend Masses. I noticed the area code 202, Washington, DC and I said to myself, ‘No, it can’t be.’ We all know how the rest of the call went but I honestly had to tell Cardinal Christophe Pierre I had to pray about the appointment before saying ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ I battled between my head and my heart and finally succumbed to saying, ‘Yes.’”

As an auxiliary bishop, Bishop-elect Kenney will work alongside Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and Auxiliary Bishop Michael J. Izen to lead the Catholic Church in the 12-county metro area.

Archbishop Hebda introduced Bishop-elect Kenney on Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Archdiocesan Catholic Center in St. Paul. His episcopal ordination is scheduled for later in the year on October 28.

The introduction was live-streamed on the Archdiocese’s Facebook page.