United States to forbid girls from being altar servers. Loverde had sent a dubium about the altar girl matter to the Holy See's Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments. The congregation responded that while bishops may allow female altar servers, pastors and priests cannot be compelled to use them. Retirement Pope Francis accepted Loverde's letter of retirement as bishop of the Diocese of Arlington on October 4, 2016, and appointed Michael F. Burbidge as his successor. See also Catholic Church hierarchy Catholic Church in the United States Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States List of Catholic bishops of the United States Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops References External links Diocese of Arlington Diocese of Ogdensburg Archdiocese of Hartford Episcopal succession 1940 births Living people Roman Catholic bishops of Arlington Roman Catholic bishops of Ogdensburg 20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States People from Framingham, Massachusetts Roman Catholic auxiliary bishops of Hartford Catholics from Massachusetts Catholic University of America School of Canon Law alumni Saint Bernard's Seminary alumni Pontifical Gregorian University alumni American expatriates in Italy Catholic University of America alumni