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Styles of
**Peter Anthony Libasci**
Styles of; Peter Anthony Libasci
Reference style	His Excellency; The Most Reverend;
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Peter Anthony Libasci
His Excellency, The Most Reverend; Peter Anthony Libasci
Bishop of Manchester
Diocese	Diocese of Manchester
Appointed	September 19, 2011
Installed	December 8, 2011
Predecessor	John Brendan McCormack
Previous post(s)	Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre and Titular Bishop of Satafis (2007-2011);
Orders
Ordination	April 1, 1978; by John R. McGann
Consecration	June 1, 2007; by William Murphy, Emil Aloysius Wcela, Paul Henry Walsh and John Charles Dunne
Personal details
Born	November 9, 1951 (age 73); Jackson Heights, Queens, New York, US
Education	St. John's University; Saint Meinrad School of Theology
Motto	Arise and walk

Peter Anthony Libasci (born November 9, 1951) is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Manchester since 2011. Libasci previously served as an auxiliary bishop in the Diocese of Rockville Centre from 2007 to 2011.

Libasci is a bi-ritual priest, allowed to celebrate liturgy and administer the sacraments in both the Latin Church and the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church.^[1]

Biography

Early life and education

Peter A. Libasci was born on November 9. 1951, in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York. Libasci is of Italian (Sicilian) heritage on his paternal side and of Slovak heritage on his maternal side.^[2] He attended St. Margaret School in Middle Village, New York. Deciding to become a priest, Libasci then entered Cathedral Preparatory Seminary in Elmhurst, Queens.^[3]

Libasci obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy degree from St. John's University in Queens and a Master of Divinity degree from Saint Meinrad School of Theology in Saint Meinrad, Indiana. After his ordination, Libasci received a Master of Theology-Catechetical Ministry degree from St. John's.^[3]

Ordination and ministry

On April 1, 1978, Libasci was ordained a priest by Bishop John Raymond McGann for the Diocese of Rockville Centre at Saint Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre, New York.^[4] After his ordination, the diocese assigned Libasci to the following parish assignments in New York:

Parochial vicar at Saint Raymond's in East Rockaway (1978 – 1982),
Parochial vicar at Saints Cyril and Methodius in Deer Park (1982 – 1988);
Parish administrator and then pastor at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Inwood (1988 – 2000)
Pastor at Saint Therese of Lisieux in Montauk (2000 – 2007)

On December 10, 2004, Libasci was named honorary prelate by Pope John Paul II with the title of monsignor.

Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre

Libasci was named titular bishop of Satafis and auxiliary bishop of Rockville Centre on April 3, 2007, by Pope Benedict XVI. Libasci received his episcopal consecration on June 1, 2007, from Bishop William Murphy, with Auxiliary Bishops Emil Wcela, Paul Walsh and John Dunne serving as co-consecrators.^[4]

As auxiliary bishop, Libasci served as episcopal vicar for the Vicariate East (Suffolk County) of the diocese. He also celebrated the liturgy for the Ruthenian Catholic community, which celebrates liturgy in the Byzantine rite.^[1]

Bishop of Manchester

On September 19, 2011, Benedict XVI named Libasci as the tenth bishop of Manchester.^[5] He was installed on December 8, 2011.

Libasci on May 30, 2019, expressed his approval of the override vote in the New Hampshire Senate to eliminate capital punishment in the state.^[6]

As bishop, Libasci has been sympathetic to Traditional Catholic groups. In 2016 Libasci invited the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, who exclusively celebrate the Tridentine Mass, to establish St. Stanislaus Parish in Nashua.^[7] In 2021 Libasci invited the Institute of the Good Shepherd, which also solely celebrates the Tridentine Mass, to establish a parish in Winchester.^[8]

Sexual abuse allegations

On July 22, 2021, Libasci was named in a lawsuit accusing him of child molestation. The crimes allegedly occurred between 1983 and 1984 when he was serving as parochial vicar at Saints Cyril and Methodius Parish School in New York.^[9] The accuser was Charles O’Connor, then 12 or 13 years old. O'Connor said that Libasci fondled his genitals on "numerous occasions", including one instance when the boy was setting up the altar for mass.^[10] The lawsuit also named the Sisters of St. Joseph, the religious order running the school at the time, of neglecting to prevent the abuse.^[11] Libasci denied the accusations.^[12]

On August 29, 2021, the Archdiocese of Boston announced a formal investigation into the accusations against Libasci.^[13] However, the archdiocese decided to delay the investigation until the O'Connor lawsuit was settled. O'Connor died in July 2024, leaving the lawsuit in temporary limbo.^[14]

References

^ ^a ^b "New bishop is 'bi-ritual', a rare practice in church". Archived from the original on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
^ "The Most Reverend Peter A. Libasci". Archived from the original on 31 December 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Bishop - Diocese of Manchester". www.catholicnh.org. Retrieved 2024-01-18.
^ ^a ^b "Bishop Peter Anthony Libasci (Catholic Hierarchy)". Retrieved 19 September 2011.
^ "RINUNCIA DEL VESCOVO DI MANCHESTER (U.S.A.) E NOMINA DEL SUCCESSORE". Archived from the original on 16 July 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2011.
^ "Manchester bishop welcomes repeal of death penalty in NH". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2024-01-18.
^ "Saint Stanislaus Parish in Nashua to reopen". Diocese of Manchester. May 20, 2016. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
^ Decree of erection of the Saint Stanislaus Parish
^ Downey, K. C. (2021-07-22). "Bishop of Diocese of Manchester accused in lawsuit of sexually abusing minor". WMUR. Retrieved 2021-07-22.
^ Crompton, Jennifer (2021-07-24). "Diocese of Manchester bishop accused in lawsuit of sexually abusing minor". WMUR. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
^ McKeown, Jonah (July 23, 2021). "Lawsuit brings sex abuse allegations against New Hampshire bishop". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
^ Callery, Tim (2021-07-24). "Manchester Bishop Libasci 'categorically denies' sex abuse accusations, attorney says". WMUR. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
^ "Church investigation into Libasci allegations underway". www.yahoo.com. 29 August 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
^ Fisher, Damien (2024-07-24). "Bishop Libasci Accuser Dies, Lawsuit in Limbo". InDepthNH.org. Retrieved 2024-09-17.

External links

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by John Brendan McCormack	Bishop of Manchester 2011–present	Incumbent
Preceded by –	Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre 2007-2011	Succeeded by –