Fr. John-Nhan Tran Named Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta

NEW ORLEANS, La. – Pope Francis has named Father John Nhan Tran Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Bishop-elect Tran, who currently ministers as pastor of Mary, Queen of Peace in Mandeville, will be ordained to the episcopacy by the Most Reverend Gregory Hartmayer, OFM Conv, Archbishop of Atlanta at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Atlanta on January 23, 2023.

 “The call I received from the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, left me speechless and with trepidation,” said Bishop-elect Tran. “After several days of prayer and trusting that God will provide, I was able to embrace the appointment by Pope Francis.  I am indeed humbled to serve as Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.”

Bishop-elect Tran will participate in a news conference in Atlanta today, Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 10 am. A second news conference in New Orleans will be tomorrow, Wednesday, October 26 at 11 am at the archdiocesan offices at 7887 Walmsley Ave.

“Bishop-elect Tran has ministered faithfully to the people of the Archdiocese of New Orleans throughout his priestly ministry,” said Archbishop Gregory Aymond. “He is greatly respected by the clergy, religious, and laity of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He is a leader among our priests. We congratulate him and assure him of our prayers as he assumes his new ministry. It is bittersweet as he will be greatly missed.”

Bishop-elect Tran was born in Vietnam in 1966. He and his family left his home country and received refugee status in the United States following the Vietnam War. Settling in New Orleans, Bishop-elect Tran attended Edna Karr Jr. High in New Orleans before moving to New York to finish high school. He then attended Don Bosco College in New Jersey before returning to the New Orleans area to complete his studies at St. Joseph Seminary College and Notre Dame Seminary. Bishop-elect Tran graduated from Notre Dame Seminary with a Masters of Divinity in 1992 and was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of New Orleans soon afterward on May 30, 1992.

Bishop-elect Tran has served as both a parochial vicar and pastor in parishes throughout the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Since 2014 he has been pastor of Mary, Queen of Peace in Mandeville. Bishop-elect Tran has also served on a number of local councils and committees including the Priest Personnel Board, Presbyteral (Priests) Council, where he served as chair, and the Council of Deans as Dean of the St. John-St. Charles Deanery. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and has been active within ministry supporting the local Vietnamese Community.