Pope Francis has named Father Earl Fernandes, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, as the Bishop of Columbus, the nation’s 14th-largest city. In a press conference, he recalled the atmosphere of piety in which he grew up in an Indian immigrant family.

The 49-year-old priest has worked as secretary in the apostolic nunciature, dean of the Cincinnati seminary, and pastor of a parish; he is the author of a series of newspaper columns, as well as an article on the priesthood and homosexuality.