Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, will preside at a Mass of Thanksgiving for the service of Bishop Robert P. Maginnis on the occasion of his retirement as Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia, on Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 12:05 p.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, 18th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Bishop Maginnis will be be the celebrant and homilist for the Mass. An Open House Reception will follow in the Archdiocesan Office Center. All are welcome to attend Mass and the Open House Reception.

On Tuesday, June 8, 2010, Cardinal Rigali held a news conference announcing that Pope Benedict XVI had accepted the resignation of Most Reverend Robert P. Maginnis, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia. Bishop Maginnis was ordained by Cardinal John Krol in 1961. Bishop Maginnis headed the Secretariat for Evangelization for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia since June of 2004. Bishop Maginnis oversaw all aspects of Evangelization, as well as the Archdiocesan Metropolitan Tribunal, Chancery Office, Office for Consecrated Life, Office for Research and Planning; Office for Black Catholics and Office for Hispanic Catholics. Prior to his Episcopal ordination in 1996, Bishop Maginnis served for 21 years in the Department of Youth Activities; this later became the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO).

Assignments: Assistant Pastor, Our Lady Help of Christians, Abington, Montgomery County, 1961-1964; Assistant Pastor, Immaculate Heart of Mary, Chester, Delaware County, 1964-1967; Assistant Director, Department of Youth Activities 1967-1981; Director, Department of Youth Activities 1987-1988; Administrator, Saint Alphonsus Parish, Maple Glen, Montgomery County; Regional Vicar for Montgomery County 1991-1996; Pastor, Saint Colman Parish, Ardmore, Montgomery County June 1996 - June 2004; Appointed to the Synod of Bishops in Rome 2001; Appointed Administrative Overseer to Chester County and part of Delaware County Vicariates, Secretariat for Evangelization, The Metropolitan Tribunal, Chancery, Office of the Vicar for Consecrated Life, Office of the Vicar for Hispanic Catholics and Research and Planning, July 2004.

A Philadelphia native, Bishop Maginnis is a graduate of St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia and Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood.

Editor's Note: Cardinal Rigali also announced on June 8, 2010 that Pope Benedict XVI appointed Monsignor John J. McIntyre as an Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia. On June 22, 2010 Cardinal Rigali announced that Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Joseph P. McFadden as Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg, and appointed Monsignor Michael Fitzgerald as Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia. Bishop-elect McIntyre and Bishop-elect Fitzgerald will be ordained to the episcopacy on Friday, August 6, 2010 at 2 p.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.