(CCCB – Ottawa)… His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI today appointed Most Rev. Anthony Mancini, Archbishop of Halifax and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Yarmouth in Nova Scotia as Apostolic Administrator of Antigonish.

The Holy Father also accepted the resignation of Most Rev. Raymond J. Lahey, who has asked to leave office for personal reasons. He has been Bishop of Antigonish since June 2003. Previously, as of July 1986, he had been Bishop of the Diocese of St. George’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

As Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Antigonish, Archbishop Mancini will have all the faculties of a residential Bishop, while continuing with his responsibilities as Archbishop of Halifax and Apostolic Administrator of Yarmouth, which he has held since November 2007.

As a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), Archbishop Mancini has served on what were then the English Sector Commission for Liturgy and the English Sector Commission for Christian Education. He currently serves on the Standing Committee on Communications.

The Diocese of Antigonish has a Catholic population of 129,730 in 118 parishes and missions, served by 114 diocesan priests, three priests who are members of religious orders, one permanent deacon and 272 religious Sisters.