Diocese of St. Thomas Bishop Elliot Thomas' retirement has been approved by Pope John Paul II and will take effect Wednesday, the diocese has announced.
Thomas, who turns 73 next month, has served as bishop of the Diocese in St. Thomas since December, 1993.
Thomas will be succeeded by Bishop George Murry, who joined the diocese as a coadjutor bishop last June. Murry, a native of New Jersey and formerly an auxiliary bishop in Chicago, will become the fourth Bishop of St. Thomas.
Murry is also the chair of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on African-American Catholics.
To mark the transition, masses will be celebrated on St. Thomas at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral on July 6; on St. John at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on July 7; and on St. Croix at St. Ann Church on July 9.
According to a statement released by the Diocese Wednesday, Thomas guided the diocese through the massive damages church properties suffered when Hurricane Marilyn hit St. Thomas in 1995. He was also involved in raising funds for other disaster relief efforts.
Before entering the seminary, Thomas, a registered pharmacist, owned a pharmacy on St. Thomas.
After a spiritual retreat to Pennsylvania, Thomas will return to the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, "to continue his ministry of healing and reconciliation," the release said.