Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez last week ordained Most Reverend Keith J. Chylinski, Christopher Cooke and Efren V. Esmilla to the Episcopacy in front of a capacity congregation at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.
The role of an auxiliary bishop is to assist the diocesan bishop by sharing in his pastoral and administrative work and to act in his name.
Like all bishops, auxiliaries are successors to the Apostles.
These men are the 28th, 29th and 30th auxiliary bishops in the history of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
They will join Most Reverend John J. McIntyre, who has served in that capacity since 2010, and succeed recently retired Auxiliary Bishops Most Reverend Edward Deliman and Michael Fitzgerald, along with Most Reverend Timothy Senior, who had served as an Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia from 2009 until the summer of 2023 when he was appointed the 12th Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg by Pope Francis.
Pérez introduced the new Auxiliary Bishops at a news conference on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Dec. 8, 2023).
Chylinski, 52, is a native of Schenectady, New York. He was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Justin Rigali in 2007.
Cooke, 50, grew up in Saint Vincent de Paul Parish (Richboro). Prior to entering St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Cooke earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware in 1996. He then worked in the field of chemical manufacturing and design. He was ordained to the priesthood by Rigali in 2006.
Esmilla, 61, a native of the Philippines, was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua in 1993.
Perez said, “My ministry as Archbishop would be impossible without the dedicated service of auxiliary bishops. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is a large, vibrant and richly diverse Church, and no one person can do this work alone. A lot of help is needed every day. Having a full complement of auxiliary bishops is essential for a Church of our size and magnitude. Like every Bishop, they are successors of the Apostles Their apostolic presence and episcopal charism nourishes the Church in a very unique way.
“I’ve known and worked with these new bishops for many years. They are men of great faith, of great humility and of great pastoral as well as administrative experience. And they have zealous hearts — zealous hearts to serve as Missionary Disciples for Jesus Christ. I’ve witnessed the transformational impact of their priestly ministry here in Philadelphia among many different people. So, we are abundantly blessed by these three gifts. I want to thank, of course, the Divine Providence of the Holy Spirit that has guided this process, and thank Pope Francis, for taking care of the pastoral needs of the Church of Philadelphia by appointing these three wonderful men.” ••
