The new bishop of the Diocese of St. Cloud told the media and diocese employees at a news conference Friday morning that he is happy to be back in Minnesota.<\/p>\n
Donald Kettler of Fairbanks, Alaska, will take over as bishop of the St. Cloud diocese Nov. 7.<\/p>\n
Kettler, 68, has been the Fairbanks bishop since 2002. He will replace John F. Kinney, who has served since 1995.<\/p>\n
A tall and imposing figure wearing a black suit and large gold crucifix, Kettler said he\u2019s received a warm welcome in St. Cloud and feels a little bit of a sense of coming home.<\/p>\n
Kettler has numerous Minnesota ties. He was born in Minneapolis. He graduated from St. John\u2019s University and the seminary at Collegeville. He was a priest in Sioux Falls, S.D., from 1970-79 and served in the Sioux Falls diocese on and off from 1970-2000 working in the diocesan offices and in a number of parishes.<\/p>\n
Kettler said he enjoys being a pastor and building relationships with people. During his tenure in Alaska, he traveled to villages to meet with victims of clergy sexual abuse and apologize on behalf of the church.<\/p>\n
Kettler said he \u201clearned the value of listening\u201d from Alaskan native people, and he hopes that the church can turn the corner and improve how it deals with clergy abuse.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow I hope that the church can be an instrument of healing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Kinney, 76, announced his retirement in June 2012 and has continued to serve while the Vatican worked on a replacement. He is in the hospital and did not attend Friday\u2019s news conference.<\/p>\n
In a statement read by Vicar General Robert Rolfes, Kinney said he has been anxiously awaiting word of his successor. He called Kettler \u201ca true pastor and a bishop who loves and serves the poor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOur prayers have truly been answered,\u201d Kinney wrote.<\/p>\n