J. Peter Sartain to retire as archbishop of Seattle and Paul Etienne to step into role
Sartain, who is in poor health, had requested a coadjutor archbishop serving alongside him in a transition period. Pope Francis chose Etienne.
J. Peter Sartain (left) and Paul Etienne (right). Photo courtesy of Northwest Catholic.
Pope Francis appointed Paul Etienne, 59, to be coadjutor archbishop of Seattle, serving alongside J. Peter Sartain, 66, until he retires.
Sartain wrote in a letter to the archdiocese on April 29 that he lives with chronic pain after several spinal surgeries for scoliosis in recent years.
“I began to realize that I no longer have the necessary strength and stamina to continue serving as Archbishop of this extraordinary and dynamic archdiocese,” he wrote. “Archbishop Etienne and I will finalize the date later this year on which he will formally succeed me as Archbishop of Seattle.”
