Orange County's New Bishop

Bishop Kevin Vann is the new leader of the 1.3 million member Diocese of Orange, America's fastest-growing Roman Catholic diocese.

Bishop Vann, 61, will replace Orange County's beloved Bishop Emeritus Tod David Brown, a San Francisco native, who reached the Roman Catholic Church's mandatory retirement age of 75 last November.

Under Canon 401 § 1 of the Latin-rite Code of Canon Law, Roman Catholic Bishops must submit a letter of resignation to the Pope when they are 75.

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Fort Worth, TX, Kevin Vann will be installed in early December as Orange County, California's new spiritual leader of the Catholic faith.

"I have so much to be grateful to God for," said Bishop Vann.  "I promise that, as we grow together in this exciting and dynamic time of the Diocese of Orange, I will love you and do my best to serve you with the Lord's help."

Kevin William Vann was born on May 10, 1951 as the first-born of six children in Springfield, IL, to a postal worker and a nurse.

Vann earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology, worked as a medical technologist, studied at Immaculate Conception Seminary and Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, and was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1981.

Father Kevin Vann studied Canon Law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, earning his J.C.D., Doctor of Canon Law.

After returning to America, Vann served as parochial vicar, judge, defender of the bond, procurator, parochial administrator, parish pastor, judicial vicar, dean, Bishop's contact, Canon Law professor, Vicar for Clergy, Honorary Chaplain to the Pope, Coadjutor Bishop, and Bishop.

Bishop Kevin Vann's episcopal motto is "In Fide Et Dileccione In Christo Iesu  (In The Faith And Love In Christ Jesus)."  His coat of arms is pictured here on the right. >

During the last presidential election in 2008, Bishop Vann issued an official declaration, which still stands today:

"We cannot make more clear the seriousness of the overriding issue of abortion - while not the only issue - it is the defining moral issue, not only today, but of the last 35 years," Vann declared.  "As Catholics, we are morally obligated to pray, to act, and to vote to abolish the evil of abortion in America."

In the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Kevin Vann is a member of the Committee on Marriage, on Family Life, on Laity and Youth, as well as the Subcommittee on Marriage and Family Life.

Since November 2010, Bishop Vann is a religious blogger as well.  He is also known as a technology geek who appreciates the latest from Silicon Valley.

The Diocese of Orange has presented the incoming Bishop Vann with California flip-flops to replace his Texas cowboy boots.

As the new Bishop of The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, Kevin Vann will operate from the diocese's new Christ Cathedral, which was formerly Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral, in Garden Grove, California.

The Vatican's official decision to reassign Bishop Kevin Vann to Orange County came directly from Pope Benedict XVI with complete assumption of responsibility and accountability.

This was a powerful decision by the Pope, granting the Bishop an incredible amount of power in a spiritually powerful part of the world - which must not be underestimated.

Kevin William Vann is hereby welcomed to "the fire of the west, which receives every setting of the sun," arriving with the impenetrable blessing of the Office Of The Christ, preordained in the Spirits of Wisdom, Clarity and Discernment, forged in Purity and Righteousness under The Supreme Authority of The Eternal Law of The Most High.

The bridge has been crossed through the open door, and the timing could not be more perfect.  The reinforcement is anticipated and appreciated.

Welcome to the Front Line.