Pope Francis Appoints Priest who Escaped from Vietnam to the US - Fr. John-Nhan Tran as New Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta

Pope Francis Names New Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta

WASHINGTON - Pope Francis has appointed the Rev. John-Nhan Tran as auxiliary bishop of Atlanta. Bishop-elect Tran is a priest of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and currently serves as pastor of Mary, Queen of Peace Church in Mandeville, Louisiana. The appointment was publicized in Washington, D.C. on October 25, 2022, by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Father Tran was born February 6, 1966, in Vietnam. He was nine years old when he and his family escaped Vietnam and found refuge in the United States. He attended Don Bosco College in Newton, New Jersey and St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, Louisiana (1989). He earned a Master of Divinity in theology (1992) from Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1992.

Bishop-elect Tran’s assignments in the Archdiocese of New Orleans after ordination include: parochial vicar at Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Violet (1992-1995); parochial vicar at The Visitation of Our Lady parish in Marrero (1995-1997); parochial vicar at St. Angela Merici parish in Metairie (1997-1998); parochial vicar at Our Lady of Divine Providence parish in Metairie (1999-2001); pastor at St. Louise de Marillac parish in Arabi (2001-2003); pastor at St. Bonaventure parish in Avondale (2003-2007); and pastor at St. Joan of Arc parish in LaPlace (2007-2014). Since 2014, he has served as pastor of Mary Queen of Peace parish in Mandeville. Bishop-elect Tran speaks English and Vietnamese.

The Archdiocese of Atlanta is comprised of 21,445 square miles in the State of Georgia and has a total population of 7,700,000, of which 1,190,000 are Catholic.

USCCB Release - Image https://www.maryqueenofpeace.org/home/staff/3356-rev-john-nhan-tran