WASHINGTON ARCHDIOCESE

Md. Priest Is Named Auxiliary Bishop

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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Pope Benedict XVI named Monsignor Barry C. Knestout, who grew up in Bowie, as an auxiliary bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington yesterday.

Knestout, 46, is the third local priest to be elevated to bishop and the first from Prince George's County to serve the Washington archdiocese. He will be ordained Dec. 29.

As one of four auxiliary bishops, he will help lead the archdiocese under the direction of Archbishop Donald Wuerl and fills a spot vacated last year by Bishop Kevin Joseph Farrell, who became bishop of Dallas.

Knestout was personal secretary to Wuerl's predecessors, Cardinals James A. Hickey and Theodore McCarrick, before becoming a high-ranking assistant last year to Wuerl. Knestout is "moderator of the curia and vicar for administration," which is similar to being chief of staff of the 580,000-person archdiocese.

Knestout was born in Cheverly, grew up in Bowie and studied architecture in college before becoming a priest at 23.

Although most of his career has been in administration, Knestout worked at three Maryland parishes as parochial vicar and pastor, most recently at St. John the Evangelist in Silver Spring in 2004.

The archdiocese includes Washington and Prince George's, Calvert, Montgomery, St. Mary's and Charles counties.

-- Michelle Boorstein