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Pope names Bowie priest bishop in D.C.

Man who spent career in area will work at city archdiocese

By Julia Duin (Contact) | Wednesday, November 19, 2008

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Pope Benedict XVI named a Bowie priest as one of three auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Washington, the first time a native of Prince George's County has been selected to such a post.

Monsignor Barry C. Knestout, 46, is the chief of staff for the archdiocese and was co-chairman of the planning committee for the pope's visit to the capital last April.

On Tuesday, he told reporters that he received a surprise call Oct. 28 from Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the papal nuncio - or ambassador - to the United States.

"He said the Holy Father had named me auxiliary bishop of Washington and to entrust myself to the Lord,'" the monsignor said. "I said, 'I am overwhelmed. Whatever the Holy Father wants, I'll do.'"

He will be installed as a bishop on Dec. 29 in St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington. His brother, the Rev. Mark Knestout, 44, directs worship for the archdiocese and will be in charge of planning the installation ceremony.

The two are part of a family of nine children whose father, Thomas Knestout, was a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church. Both said their father encouraged them to become priests.

"This is a great honor for our family," Father Mark Knestout said, adding that he had brought some champagne to the archdiocesan center to celebrate.

The bishop-elect was born in Cheverly, reared in Bowie and attended St. Pius X Elementary School and Bowie High School. He received a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Maryland in 1984, then entered Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md.

"He had a marvelous sense of humor and he was a great student," said fellow classmate the Rev. Ron Potts, pastor of Sacred Heart Church in LaPlata, Md. "He has a great reputation among the priests."