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The Diocese of Baker, Oregon, will soon have the youngest bishop (not counting auxiliaries) in the United States today. Currently a priest of the Diocese of Davenport, Bishop-elect Reverend Thomas Hennen, 47, was appointed by Pope Leo XIV on July 10.
A native Iowan, Fr. Hennen was ordained in 2004 and served in a number of positions; he is currently rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport as well as consultor and vicar general.
Now the youngest of the ordinaries (there are two younger auxiliary bishops) -- bishops in charge of a diocese -- Fr. Hennen is also the youngest of 11 children.
In a diocesan newspaper profile, he said that he probably first heard the call to be a priest when he was in fourth grade. When asked what his favorite part of being a priest is, he replied,
I love celebrating the sacraments and sharing daily in the lives of the people. More particularly, I always feel very rewarded (and honored, and humbled) in hearing confessions and in visiting the sick.
A unique spot in Oregon
Bishop-elect Hennen is headed westward to a diocese that is somewhat unique. The Diocese of Baker is spread over 66,800 square miles of diverse terrain -- dramatic mountains, valleys, rivers and more.
With only 12,500 registered Catholic households, the Diocese of Baker is one of the smallest dioceses (by the numbers), in the United States.
That said, there are still 57 parishes in the diocese, averaging out to a couple hundred parishioners per parish. Just 38 priests serve those 57 parishes, which can make for some busy Sundays!
Perhaps most interestingly, the new prelate -- like a number of his predecessors -- will not actually live near the diocesan Cathedral.
St. Frances de Sales is a small, but beautiful Cathedral located in downtown Baker, a town in Eastern Oregon with a population of about 10,000. Bishop Hennen, however, will live approximately four and a half hours away in Bend, OR.
On the Baker diocesan website, the diocese explains the change, which happened almost 40 years ago:
During the second half of the Century, the population of Oregon continued to move westward, up against the eastern foot of the Cascades. It became increasingly apparent that the growing concentration of our Catholic population would be better served from Central Oregon. In 1987, the diocesan offices were moved to the City of Bend, while leaving the Cathedral Church of St. Francis de Sales in Baker City.
The Cathedral does see its bishop occasionally, for major feasts. (In this sense, perhaps it's not so different from the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome!)
In fact, because of its geography, the bishop of Baker is often on the move. No doubt, Bishop-elect Hennen will be introduced soon to both his home in Bend AND the cathedral in Baker.
And if you're curious, the two auxiliary bishops who are younger than him are both serving in the Archdiocese of Chicago: Bishop Robert Miroslaw Fedek and Bishop Jose Maria Garcia Maldonado.
