Meet our Bishop

Bishop Peter Christensen joined the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise in 2014.

Since his arrival, he has displayed his love and greatness to our Catholic community, including his dedication to Idaho’s Catholic Schools.

Bishop Christensen, one of eight children, was born on December 24, 1952 in Pasadena, California. He moved to Minneapolis-St. Paul in 1975. He worked as a commercial artist prior to entering St. John Vianney College Seminary located at the University of St. Thomas. He also attended St. Paul Seminary for his graduate studies.

He was ordained to the priesthood at age 32 on May 25, 1985 by Archbishop John Roach and served as associate pastor of St. Olaf Parish in Minneapolis before becoming spiritual director (1989) and rector (1991) of St. John Vianney Seminary. In June of 1999 he was appointed pastor of Nativity of Our Lord Parish in St. Paul where he served until being named the 10th Bishop of Superior on June 28, 2007 by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

On Monday, October 27, 2014, Bishop Christensen received a telephone call from the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, informing him that His Holiness Pope Francis had chosen him to be the next Bishop of the Diocese of Boise, Idaho. The official announcement was made on November 4 in Boise.

The installation of Bishop Peter as the eighth bishop of Boise took place on December 17, 2014, at the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in Boise.