The bishop of Lansing, Michigan, recently submitted his letter of resignation to Pope Leo XIV upon turning 75, as required by canon law.
According to the Diocese of Lansing, Bishop Earl Boyea outlined the multistep process that will begin once his resignation is received in a letter to the faithful.
In the April 10 letter, the bishop explained the process will formally begin when the resignation is received by the papal nuncio, the Holy Father’s representative in the U.S. Archbishop Gabriele Caccia currently serves in this role.
He also announced that the diocese will undertake a period of consultation, including a survey of the faithful to assess the Church’s “faith status” as well as interviews with priests, deacons, and laity. The effort is intended to better understand the needs of the local Church and provide a foundation for the next bishop’s leadership, he wrote.
In an April 10 interview, the bishop also pointed to his 2012 pastoral letter on the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI are “at the heart” of his ministry.
The letter, Bishop Boyea said, focused on building up the “household” of the Church, reaching the “lost sheep,” and addressing the challenges of evangelizing a contemporary society.
Bishop Boyea has served the diocese since 2008.