WASHINGTON (CNS) – Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. Robert J. Brennan, 50, a pastor and vicar general of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, and Msgr. Nelson J. Perez, 50, a pastor in the Philadelphia Archdiocese, as auxiliary bishops for the Rockville Centre Diocese.

The appointments were announced June 8 in Washington by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Bishop-designate Brennan, ordained in 1989 for Rockville Centre, has been vicar general since 2002. Before that, he was secretary to three bishops of the diocese. In 2010, he also was named pastor of St. Mary of the Isle parish, Long Beach, L.I.

Bishop-designate Perez, ordained in 1989 for the Philadelphia Archdiocese, is currently pastor of St. Agnes parish, West Chester, Pa. He was the founding director of the Catholic Institute for Evangelization and has been heavily involved in ministry to Hispanic Catholics, 1993-2002. Before that, he was assistant director of the archdiocesan Office for Hispanic Catholics, 1990-93.

Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre will celebrate the episcopal ordination Mass for the two new auxiliaries July 25 at St. Agnes Cathedral, Rockville Centre.

In a statement, Bishop Murphy thanked the pope “for responding so quickly to my request for two auxiliary bishops to help me pastor the fifth largest diocese in our nation.

“God has blessed this diocese with good and holy priests and now two new auxiliary bishops, one a native son, the second, a Cuban American who will bring his many gifts and his Latino language, culture and heritage to enrich this wonderful diocese.”

Bishop-designate Brennan was born in New York City on June 7, 1962. He has a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from St. John’s University, Jamaica, and a Master of Divinity from the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception, Huntington. He was named monsignor in 1996.

“I am honored and humbled that the Holy Father extended this call to serve the Lord in a new way,” he said in a statement. “I have learned so much from Bishop Murphy and I can never thank him enough for his kindness to me.”

Born in Miami on June 16, 1961, Bishop-designate Perez earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Montclair State University, Montclair, N.J., and a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts degree from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia. He was named a monsignor in 1998.

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said the appointment of a Philadelphia pastor as an auxiliary bishop “continues a long and generous tradition of service to the universal church by priests from the archdiocese.”

Bishop-designate Perez “has served our archdiocese and its people with faithful devotion for many years,” the archbishop said.