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Bishop Fred Henry, Calgary’s outspoken leading Catholic authority for 19 years, has resigned from the Calgary Catholic Diocese due to a severely debilitating case of arthritis.

Pope Francis accepted his resignation and has appointed William Terrence McGrattan, Bishop of the Diocese of Peterborough, as his successor, to be installed Feb. 27 in a ceremony at Calgary’s St. Mary’s Cathedral.

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In a letter to Pope Francis dated Feb. 6, 2016, Henry, now 73, expressed his wish to step down due to a form of arthritis known as ankylosing spondylitis (AS), an autoimmune disease that attacks multiple body functions.

“My condition cannot be reversed. I have jokingly said that ‘pain is my best friend, we are always together,’ ” wrote Henry to the pontiff, adding his hearing, mobility and vision have been affected.

“I believe that someone with more energy, stamina and pastoral vision should take over the role of Ordinary for the Diocese of Calgary.”