Baker: The Pope Appoints Thomas J. Hennen as New Bishop

On Thursday, July 10, 2025, Pope Leo XIV appointed Reverend Father Thomas J. Hennen as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Baker, in the State of Oregon (USA), simultaneously accepting the resignation, submitted upon reaching the age limit, of His Excellency the Most Reverend Liam Stephen Cary.

The appointment does not come as a surprise to those familiar with the pastoral journey and the discreet yet deeply engaged ecclesial presence of Bishop-elect Hennen, currently Vicar General and Rector of the Cathedral in the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa. A native of Ottumwa, where he was born on July 4, 1978, Hennen received his academic and spiritual formation at Saint Ambrose University and later at the Pontifical North American College, earning a Licentiate in Moral Theology from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome.

Ordained a priest on July 10, 2004, he has served in a variety of pastoral roles: parochial vicar, university chaplain, high school teacher, vocations director, and more recently, consultant, moderator of parish communities, and pastor of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport. What stands out in his biography is not so much the list of positions held, but rather the continuity of his service and the evident balance he has maintained between administrative duties and formative and pastoral work.

It is therefore no surprise that the Bishop of Davenport, Most Rev. Dennis G. Walsh, responded to the news of the appointment in a deeply personal and emotional tone: “While we rejoice for the Diocese of Baker,” he wrote in the official statement, “we cannot hide our sorrow at parting with a priest who has left an indelible mark on our community, through his wisdom, compassion, and unwavering dedication to the Church.” The Diocese of Baker, vast and sparsely populated, encompasses nearly all of eastern Oregon: a mountainous territory dotted with small and often isolated Catholic communities.

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