Pope Leo XIV names Benedictine monk as bishop of Belleville Diocese in Illinois

VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV has named Father Godfrey Mullen, a Benedictine monk, as the new bishop of Belleville, Ill.

The Vatican announced the appointment of Bishop-designate Mullen March 13. The see of the Diocese of Belleville has been vacant since its former bishop, now-Archbishop Michael G. McGovern, was installed as archbishop of Omaha, Neb., in May 2025.

Bishop-designate Mullen, 60, is a monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana and current administrator of the Diocese of Belleville. A native of Illinois, he holds a doctorate in liturgical studies from The Catholic University of America in Washington.

The Diocese of Belleville was established in 1887 and has a total population of 860,000 people, 70,000 of whom are Catholic.

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