From Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda
Given the significant health challenges that Bishop John LeVoir has been experiencing and addressing, I was pleased to learn that our Holy Father, Pope Francis, had granted his request to be relieved of his responsibilities as Bishop of New Ulm and to begin his well-deserved retirement.
Bishop LeVoir, ordained as a priest of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis in 1981, has long distinguished himself as a loving shepherd and faithful servant of the Church. For nearly a dozen years, he provided compassionate and steady leadership to the Diocese of New Ulm, always pointing his flock to the love of God and the joy of the Gospel, even in extraordinarily difficult times. Here in the Archdiocese, he is still remembered fondly at the parishes in South Saint Paul and Stillwater where he served as pastor. He always put the needs of his flock before his own. He continues to inspire me by his example.
Ever grateful for his friendship, I ask the faithful of the Archdiocese to join me in praying for Bishop LeVoir, and for the priests, religious, and faithful of his beloved Diocese of New Ulm.
