CLEVELAND — Rev. Donald P. Oleksiak has been appointed diocesan administrator of the Diocese of Cleveland, essentially making him the interim bishop overseeing Northeast Ohio's largest group of Roman Catholics until further notice.
The diocese's College of Consultors (a group of eight priests who normally advise the bishop) elected Father Oleksiak to the position. His elevation comes immediately following the exit of previous Bishop Nelson Perez, who was installed as the Archbishop of Philadelphia on Tuesday.
'PRAY FOR ME, PLEASE': Bishop Nelson Perez sends farewell message to Cleveland as he prepares to become Archbishop of Philadelphia
A priest for 31 years, the 57-year-old Oleksiak most recently served as Vicar General and Moderator for the Curia for both Bishop Perez and his immediate predecessor, the late Richard Lennon. He has also been an administer for several parishes, and previously served as pastor at St. Monica Church in Garfield Heights.
This is the second time in less than four years the diocese will have a temporary leader: After Bishop Lennon resigned early in late 2016 due to health problems, Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of the Diocese of Toledo was appointed apostolic administrator in Cleveland until Perez ascended to the permanent position seven months later. An apostolic administrator is different from a diocesan administrator, in that he is appointed from outside the diocese by the pope and wields the same full powers as a bishop.
Oleksiak will have most of those same powers, but will generally leave "matters which have long-term consequences" to the next permanent bishop. It is unknown when Pope Francis will appoint Perez's successor, although the diocese says these decisions often take six to eight months, and respected Catholic blogger Rocco Palmo told 3News' Andrew Horansky last month that it could be as late as 2021.
The last time a Cleveland bishop received a "promotion" like this was in 1980, when Pope John Paul II named James Aloysius Hickey Archbishop of Washington (and later Cardinal). In that instance, Bishop Anthony Pilla was selected for the permanent post in Cleveland just three months after Hickey's installation in D.C.
Oleksiak's appointment will take effect immediately. Neither the diocese nor the Vatican has specified if he could be a candidate to eventually become the 12th Bishop of Cleveland.
Watch former Bishop Perez's last interview in Cleveland with 3News' Russ Mitchell below: