Pope Francis appoints Gregory Parkes as the next bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg.
Bishop Parkes previously served as the Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee in Florida. He will become the fifth bishop for St. Petersburg.
Parkes succeeds the retiring Bishop Robert Lynch, who had served bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg since 1996.
LIVE STREAM | Bishop Parkes to be introduced at 10:30 a.m.
“I am filled with joy that Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Parkes as the new Bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg," said Bishop Lynch. "I invite the faithful of our diocese and of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee to join me in offering prayers of thanksgiving and to pray for Bishop Parkes as he transitions to shepherd the people of the Diocese of St. Petersburg."
Parkes was installed as the fifth Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee in June 2012. He was born in Mineola, New York, in 1962 and attended Massapequa High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida State University and worked in the banking industry in Tampa before joining the Seminary in 1993.
Parkes was ordained a priest of the Orlando diocese by Bishop Norbert Dorsey in June 1999. One of his two brothers, Father Stephen Parkes, is currently a priest of the Diocese of Orlando.
Before being named as Bishop for Pensacola-Tallahasee. Parkes worked at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Orlando and in the Corpus Christi Parish in Celebration, Florida..
Bishop Parkes will be introduced Monday during a news conference at 10:30 a.m. that will be broadcast live on the Diocese's Facebook page and on WBVM-FM 90.5.
