SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Blase Joseph Cupich has been appointed the new bishop for the Catholic Diocese of Spokane.
The 61-year-old Cupich has served as the bishop of Rapid City, S.D., where he has been since 1998.
Cupich will be the sixth Bishop of Spokane, overseeing more than 80 parishes in 13 counties across Eastern Washington. He replaces retiring Bishop William Skylstad.
