YOUNGSTOWN — The College of Consultors for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown has elected Monsignor Robert J. Siffrin as diocesan administrator for the Diocese of Youngstown following the death of Bishop George Murry, 71, on Friday.

Msgr. John Zuraw, chancellor and spokesman for the Diocese, said the diocesan administrator will care for the Diocese until the future bishop is named and arrives.

Ordained on June 23, 1979, Siffrin under Murry was the vicar general and moderator of the Curia. As moderator of the Curia, he oversees all aspects of the operation of the Diocesan Chancery.

Along with his diocesan responsibilities, he is parish administrator of St. Edward Parish, Youngstown.

Murry, who had overseen the Diocese since 2007, died Friday in New York after his third battle with leukemia.

Serving as a diocesan administrator is not new to Siffrin, as he served in the same capacity from May 2005 to March 2007 when Bishop Thomas J. Tobin left to be installed as Bishop of Rhode Island and before Murry arrived.

This week, Siffrin and diocesan priests will attend Murry’s calling hours and funeral.

Calling hours for the public will be 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Columba Cathedral, 154 W. Wood St., Youngstown. Those who choose to attend are asked to be mindful of social distancing by leaving the church immediately after paying their respects, and guests also are asked to wear a mask.

A public evening prayer service will follow.

A private reception of the body will be held earlier Thursday, and the Mass of Christian burial will take place Friday at St. Columba Cathedral. That Mass will be closed to the public, but will be livestreamed on local television Friday beginning at 12:30 p.m. Following the Mass, the Rite of Committal will take place at Calvary Cemetery, Youngstown.

Diagnosed with a form of acute leukemia in April 2018, Murry underwent intensive chemotherapy at the Cleveland Clinic. In July 2019, he re-entered the Cleveland Clinic for a recurrence. At that time, tests confirmed he was in remission and doctors were not recommending a bone marrow transplant.

In late May, Murry asked Pope Francis for permission to resign because of his health.

Murry was the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown, which consists of Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Stark, Portage and Ashtabula counties.

Zuraw said the process to get a new bishop could take a year to a year-and-a-half.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com