Andrew E. Bellisario

Andrew Eugene Bellisario CM (born December 19, 1956) is an American prelate of the Catholic Church who was named Archbishop of Anchorage-Juneau in May 2020. He was Bishop of Juneau for three years and Apostolic Administrator of Anchorage for almost a year.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Andrew Eugene Bellisario
Archbishop of Anchorage-Juneau
ArchdioceseAnchorage–Juneau
AppointedMay 18, 2020[1]
PredecessorEdward J. Burns
Orders
OrdinationJune 16, 1984
ConsecrationOctober 10, 2017
by Paul D. Etienne, Roger Lawrence Schwietz, and Edward J. Burns
Personal details
Born (1956-12-19) December 19, 1956
Alhambra, California
Previous postBishop of Juneau (2017-2020)
MottoRich in Mercy
Styles of
Andrew Eugene Bellisario
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Biography

Bellisario entered the Congregation of the Mission (Vicentians) in 1975 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 16, 1984.

Pope Francis appointed him bishop of the Diocese of Juneau on July 11, 2017.[2] He was consecrated and installed on October 10, 2017 at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Juneau.[3]

At his installation mass, Bishop Bellisario, during his homily, said "We as bishops need a living encounter and relationship with Christ, and our people need us to be in close relationship with Christ. Our friendship with Christ, indeed, our love for Christ, will lead us to his cross. I pray that Christ may help you to see the crosses of your life also as a ‘friend,’ for it is solely from this ‘tree of life’ that we enjoy the gift of salvation."[4]

On June 7, 2019, Pope Francis appointed Bellisario apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Anchorage following the transfer of Archbishop Paul D. Eitenne to serve as the Archbishop of Seattle.[5]

On May 19, 2020, Pope Francis named him archbishop of the newly formed Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau.[6] He is scheduled to be installed on September 17, 2020,[7]

Coat of Arms

Left Side of the Shield, Diocese of Juneau

  • The Wavy Silver and Blue lines: Represents water, the highway uniting the parishes and missions of the diocese.
  • The Constellation Ursa Major, the Great Bear: The constellation of the Northern Hemisphere includes the Big Dipper with its two pointers to the North Star.
  • The North Star (Polaris): Represents the Blessed Virgin Mary, the ever constant guide of spiritual mariners, under her title "Our Lady, Star of the Sea" (Stella Maris). It also represents the constant guide of the mariner, explorer, hunter, trapper, prospector, woodsman and surveyor of Alaska.
  • The Crescent Moon: Represents the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and commemorates the Cathedral church of the diocese.

Right Side of the Shield, Bishop Bellisario's Personal Coat of Arms

  • The Cross of Saint Andrew: Represents Saint Andrew the Apostle, Bishop Bellisario's Patron Saint.
  • The Long Stem Rose: Represents Bishop Bellisario's mother, Mildred (1922–2006), and his English heritage.
  • The Ship: Represents the Church, the Bark of Saint Peter, putting out into the deep. It also represents Bishop Bellisario's father, Rocky (1915–2005), the Bellisario Family and his Italian heritage.
  • The Sacred Heart of Jesus+: Represents Jesus, who died for our sins, and commemorates Bishop Bellisario's religious community, the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians), following Christ evangelizing the poor.
  • The Immaculate Heart of Mary+: Represents Mary, who intercedes for us and commemorates the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, serving persons who are poor.

+ Both hearts are taken from the reverse side of the Miraculous Medal.

Motto: "Rich in Mercy" (Dives in Misericordia)

See also

References
  1. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-merges-alaskan-dioceses-to-create-archdiocese-of-anchorage-juneau-42506
  2. "Pope Francis Names Auxiliary Bishop Nelson Perez as New Bishop of Cleveland; Pope also Names Father Andrew Bellisario as New Bishop of Juneau" (Press release). July 11, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  3. "Pope Francis Appoints Father Andrew E. Bellisario, C.M. as the New Bishop of the Diocese Juneau" (Press release). July 11, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  4. "Bishop Bellisario ordained for Juneau, Alaska". October 11, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  5. http://dioceseofjuneau.org/news-articles/bishop-andrew-bellisario-cm/bishop-andrew-bellisario-appointed-apostolic-administrator-of-the-archdiocese-of-anchorage/
  6. "Rinunce e nomine, 19.05.2020" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. May 19, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  7. "SAVE THE DATE: Installation". Retrieved July 5, 2020.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Edward J. Burns		 Bishop of Juneau
2017–2020		 Succeeded by
Office suppressed
Preceded by
Paul Dennis Etienne		 Archbishop of Anchorage-Juneau
2020–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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