The Diocese of Joliet says Bishop R. Daniel Conlon is taking a medical leave.
The diocese says in a statement released Friday that Conlon's leave begins immediately.
The statement did not provide more information on Conlon's request for medical leave, which was granted by Pope Francis.
The statement says Bishop Richard Pates, who serves as bishop emeritus of Des Moines, will serve as apostolic administrator for the Diocese of Joliet. Conlon, who is 71 and a native of Ohio, was ordained in 1977.
He was installed as a bishop in 2002 in the Steubenville, Ohio diocese and was appointed to lead the Joliet diocese in 2011.
Copyright The Associated Press
