Peter F. Christensen


Peter Forsyth Christensen is an American prelate of the Catholic Church who serves as bishop of the Diocese of Boise, Idaho.
On November 4, 2014, Pope Francis named Christensen the eighth bishop in the Diocese of Boise, Idaho. He was installed as bishop in Boise on December 17, 2014, at St. John's Cathedral.

Biography

Early life and education

Born in Altadena, California, he was the fourth of eight children born to Robert and Ann Christensen. The family later moved to Palos Verdes, and in 1964, Robert and Ann obtained a divorce. Christensen attended Palos Verdes High School.
He moved to Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1975 and there studied at the University of St. Thomas, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in art history. Christensen then worked as a graphic designer before entering St. Paul Seminary in 1981. During his seminary education, he studied in Israel for a semester.

Ordination and ministry

Christensen was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop John Roach on May 25, 1985, and then served as assistant pastor of St. Olaf parish in Minneapolis before becoming spiritual director and rector of the archdiocesan minor seminary until 1999.
In June 1999, he was made pastor of Nativity of Our Lord parish in St. Paul, where he continued traditional practices, such as perpetual Eucharistic adoration. He also reconstructed the church and rectory.

Bishop of Superior, Wisconsin

On June 28, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI named Christensen Bishop of Superior, Wisconsin. After receiving a telephone call from Archbishop Pietro Sambi bringing news of his appointment, he "sobbed for about 15 minutes" as he had not sought the episcopal office. During a press conference, Christensen promised to be a "good listener" in his new role as bishop. Christensen was consecrated at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 14, 2007, and installed as Bishop of Superior on September 23, 2007.
Christensen joined with other Wisconsin bishops in issuing a warning against the use of POLST, Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment, in a statement published Wednesday, July 25, 2012. In “Upholding the Dignity of Human Life,” the bishops wrote that the use of POLST has grave implications for the dignity of human life and they “encourage all Catholics to avoid using all such documents, programs and materials.” In January 2014, Christensen announced that Common Core would not be allowed in the Catholic schools of his diocese.

Bishop of Boise, Idaho

On November 4, 2014, Christensen was named the new bishop of the Diocese of Boise, Idaho. He was installed as the eighth bishop of Boise on December 17, 2014, in St. John's Cathedral. In April 2020, Christensen issued a memo containing orders for the priests of the Diocese of Boise, including a controversial order banning them from celebrating Mass Ad orientem, facing in the same direction.