Senior will be the 12th bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg, which was founded in 1868 and serves more than 200,000 Catholics from 15 counties in central Pennsylvania.
The bishop is a Pennsylvania native who graduated in 1977 from Lansdale Catholic High School, located outside of Philadelphia. He was ordained to the priesthood in the archdiocese in 1985 and obtained a master’s of divinity and a master’s of arts in theology at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, located outside of Philadelphia.
After earning those degrees, Senior served as an assistant pastor in Bucks County and taught religion at Archbishop Kennedy High School, which is located in the archdiocese. He then received a master’s in social work and business administration from Boston College in 1992 before returning to the archdiocese.
Senior was named Honorary Chaplain to His Holiness in 1998 and a Prelate of Honor in 2005. He was ordained as an auxiliary bishop in 2009 to serve Montgomery County and Philadelphia-South and appointed as the rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in 2012. He was appointed as the chancellor of the seminary in 2022.
Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez said in a statement that “this moment is one of great joy for the Church in Philadelphia” and congratulated Senior on his appointment.
“I’ve known and worked closely with Bishop Senior since long before either of us were bishops,” Pérez said. “He is an exemplary priest who has served his hometown faithfully for many years with great wisdom, intelligence, and apostolic zeal for the good of souls. It has been an inspiration for me to witness his humility, devotion, and unending dedication for many years. Pope Francis has given the people of the Church in Harrisburg a true gift in making this appointment. I know Bishop Senior will serve them joyfully as a faithful shepherd.”