Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, issued this statement May 13, 2026 following the announcement that Pope Leo XIV has appointed Capuchin Franciscan Father Emilio Biosca Agüero, pastor of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in Washington, D.C., as the new bishop of Venice, Florida:
Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has given a great gift of grace and leadership to the people of the Diocese of Venice.
The Bishop-elect is one of the finest pastors in the Archdiocese of Washington. He has the faith and witness which attracts men and women to the person of Jesus Christ. He piercingly preaches the Gospel in its integrity and makes the call to conversion real and engaging.
Bishop-elect Biosca has the tender heart of a true Shepherd, and has made the Shrine of the Sacred Heart a true haven of compassion. A skilled administrative leader and a defender of his flock, he has been unswerving in reaching out to the poor and the marginalized, and the undocumented. He is also a bridgebuilder who reaches across the boundaries of polarization to forge real solidarity in the family of God.
Saint Francis burns in the heart of Father Emilio, and while I will miss him profoundly in Washington, I know clearly that God is at work in his new mission in Florida, and I give thanks.
Robert Cardinal McElroy
Archbishop of Washington
