Pope Francis has announced Mgr Mark O'Toole as the next Bishop of Plymouth.
Mgr O'Toole has been the rector of Allen Hall, the Archdiocese of Westminster's seminary in Chelsea, London, since 2008 and for six years before that served as Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor's private secretary. In 2010 he was asked by the cardinal to assist him with the apostolic visitation into clerical sexual abuse in the Church in Ireland.
Mgr O'Toole said: "I know that the example and witness of Pope Francis will continue to inspire and shape my ministry as shepherd to all in the Diocese, especially to serve the poor, the weak, and those who feel alienated from God, as I work alongside fellow-Christians."
He continued: "I look forward very much to putting down firm roots in the Diocese and making my home in Plymouth. I know I can count on the prayer, co-operation and support of the people, the religious and especially the priests of the Diocese who are renowned for their quiet heroism, fidelity and dedication. You will all show me what it means to be your Bishop."
Mgr O'Toole, 50, succeeds Bishop Christopher Budd who has led the Diocese of Plymouth - which stretches from Bournemouth to the Isles of Scilly - for almost 28 years.
His appointment comes amid growing concern about the large number of dioceses in Britain needing new bishops. Senior figures are anxious that the lack of appointments is demoralising, and affecting the work of dioceses.
Eight out of the 30 dioceses in mainland Britain are waiting for new bishops, with some holding on for an appointment for more than a year.
When Terence Brain turns 75 next month - the episcopal retirement age - it will mean almost a third of British dioceses need new bishops. In the Diocese of Brentwood, for example, Bishop Thomas McMahon held his farewell Mass almost a year ago. The bishop, 77, who has led the diocese for 33 years, reached the episcopal retirement age of 75 in June 2011.
Similarly, in the Diocese of Dunkeld, Bishop Vincent Logan decided to hand his resignation on grounds of ill health towards the end of 2010 - this was accepted in June 2012. Meanwhile, the Diocese of Leeds has been without a bishop for more than 16 months.
Mgr John Armitage, the vicar-general of the Diocese of Brentwood, said: "Bishops are being appointed around the world, so why not in Brentwood? Things can't get done until we have a new bishop."
He said that the use of a co-adjutor bishop - where an individual serves alongside the current bishop and eventually succeeds him - should be more widely used.
Bishop Christopher Budd of Plymouth, who reached retirement age almost 18 months ago, said he had felt a "a bit in limbo", adding: "I don't think things are happening very quickly. People are keen to know who is their new bishop."
Bishop Budd also questioned the role of the Roman Curia in making episcopal appointments, saying: "Historically bishops have been appointed in all sorts of different ways. Hopefully that sort of question might come on to the agenda one day."
It is understood that the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Mennini, is working hard on producing ternas - lists of three possible names submitted to the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops - and that appointments to dioceses are in the pipeline. The nuncio recently said that an appointment to the Diocese of Dunkeld would be made before Christmas.
Apart from Leeds, Brentwood and Dunkeld, dioceses needing new bishops include Liverpool, Hallam, Galloway, Paisley and Motherwell.
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