Pope Francis on Monday appointed Bishop Michael McGovern of Belleville, Illinois, to lead the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska, after he accepted the resignation of Omaha Archbishop George Lucas.

Pope Francis accepted Omaha Archbishop George Lucas’ resignation Monday and appointed the new archbishop, Bishop Michael McGovern, as his replacement. Lucas, who served as archbishop of the Omaha diocese for 16 years,

I accept his nomination with gratitude and humility and thank him for the confidence he has placed in me,” McGovern says.