LDS Church Announces New Presiding Bishopric, Effective Immediately

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Friday that Gérald Caussé has accepted the call to serve as the new presiding bishop. 

Serving alongside Bishop Caussé will be first counselor Dean M. Davies, and second counselor W. Christopher Waddell. Mormon Newsroom reports that these changes are effective immediately even though there will be a “transition period.”

Caussé, of France, is filling a vacancy that came from Elder Gary E. Stevenson’s call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Prior to his call as presiding bishop, Caussé served as first counselor in the presiding bishopric (since 2012) and as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy (2008-2012). Caussé received a masters degree in business industry from ESSEC. He and his wife, Valerie Lucienne Babin, married in 1986 and have five children and one grandchild. 

Caussé is the 15th presiding bishop in the history of the Church, the third born outside of the United States, and the first to have English as a second language. 

Prior to Davis’ call to serve as Caussé’s first counselor, Davis served as second counselor in the presiding bishopric. Mormon Newsroom reports that he received a bachelor’s from Brigham Young University in agricultural economics and completed advanced programs at Stanford and Northwestern. Davis and his wife Darla James have five children and 15 grandchildren. 

Newly called second counselor, Waddell, was prior serving as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, since April 2011. He graduated with a bachelor’s from San Diego State University in 1984. Waddell and his wife, Carol Stanse, have four children and three grandchildren. 

For more information on the new members of the presiding bishopric, visit Mormon Newsroom.