This morning, the Holy Father appointed Bishop James Peter Sartain (Bishop of Joliet) as the fifth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Seattle. As many in the Catholic blogosphere have mentioned over the past year, the appointment of the next leader of the Seattle church has been one of the longest awaited American appointment. As you may recall, Archbishop Alex Brunett reached the mandatory retirement age of 75 in January 2009.

Here is more information on Bishop Sartain from the Diocese of Joliet:

Courtesy: Diocese of Joliet

Bishop Sartain was born on June 6, 1952 in Memphis, Tennessee. On July 15, 1978 he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Memphis. He was appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock on January 4, 2000 and was ordained on March 6, 2000.

Bishop Sartain attended St. Meinrad College in Indiana, studied at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome, and earned a licentiate of sacred theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum San Anselmo in Rome in 1979.

In addition to his pastoral experience as a parochial vicar and as a pastor, Bishop Sartain also has considerable administrative experience, having served as Director of Vocations, Chancellor, Moderator of the Curia, Vicar for Clergy, and Vicar General. He has also been a chaplain, academic dean for the permanent diaconate formation program, and a member of the Advisory Council for the Institute for Priestly Formation.

He currently is a member of the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Source: Diocese of Joliet