Pope Francis appointed a new bishop for the Diocese of Metuchen. The longtime bishop, Paul Bootkoskie, retired.
Monsignor James Checchio (Courtesy The Diocese of Metuchen) PISCATAWAY -- Bishop Paul Bootkoski, who has served as the head of the Diocese of Metuchen since 2002, has retired and Pope Francis has appointed his successor.
The official announcement will be made at an 11 a.m. press conference Tuesday morning at the diocese headquarters in Piscataway at which time the new Bishop will be introduced.
Erin Friedlander, spokeswoman for the diocese, confirmed the announcement this morning. According to the Vatican press office, Msgr. James Checchio will replace Bootkoski.
Checchio was born in Camden in 1966, and was ordained as a priest in 1992, the Vatican said. He has a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome. He held several positions in Camden, including as parish vicar and diocesan spokesman, before moving to the Pontifical North American College in Rome, where he is the rector.
Booktkoski, 76, was appointed by Pope John Paul II on Jan. 4, 2002, and was installed as the fourth Bishop of Metuchen on March 19, 2002, according to the diocese's website.
There are approximately 650,000 Roman Catholics in the four counties that make up the diocese, Middlesex, Somerset, Warren and Hunterdon counties.
Staff writer Brian Amaral contributed to this report.
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