The Holy Father has appointed as auxiliary bishop of Las Vegas, United States of America, the Reverend Msgr. Gregory W. Gordon, of the clergy of the same diocese, assigning him the titular see of Novapietra. Until now, Bishop-elect Gordon served as chancellor, moderator of the Curia, and vicar general of the diocese of Las Vegas.
Bishop-elect Gregory W. Gordon was born on 4 October 1960 in Philadelphia.
He pursued his ecclesiastical studies at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia (1980-1983) and at the Pontifical Gregorian and Lateran Universities in Rome, as an alumnus of the Pontifical North American College, obtaining a licentiate in theology (1983-1987).
He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Las Vegas on January 16, 1988.
After ordination, he served as vice parish priest of Saint Francis de Sales parish (1988-1990), vice parish priest and parish administrator of Saint Anne parish (1990-1992) (2014-2020), university chaplain at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (1992-1993), parish vicar of Our Lady of Las Vegas parish (1993-1994), parish administrator and parish priest of Saint Christopher parish in Las Vegas (1994-2003) and parish priest of Saint Francis of Assisi parish in Henderson (2004-2007). From 2007 to 2014 he served at the apostolic nunciature in the United States. Since 2020 he has been chancellor, moderator of the Curia, and vicar general of the diocese of Las Vegas.
The Diocese of Las Vegas comprises five counties — Clark, Esmeralda, Lincoln, Nye, and White Pine — and covers 39,683 square miles. The Diocese was established on March 21, 1995, as the Diocese of Las Vegas by his Holiness Pope John Paul II; Canonical Erection of the Diocese on June 28, 1995. Patrons of the Diocese: The Holy Family; Co-Patrons St. Peter and St. Paul.
Although Nevada was the last of the 48 contiguous states to have its own diocese, the Church in Southern Nevada that now makes up the Diocese of Las Vegas had a long and colorful history before it was established in 1995.
The first Mass celebrated in the territory that was to become Nevada was on the Colorado River in 1776 near present-day Laughlin. It was offered by the explorer, Father Garces, OFM, of Mexico. In 1776, Father Dominguez, OFM, and Father Escalante, OFM came from New Mexico, crossed the Virgin River, and made the trip to present-day Utah.
