Diocese of Phoenix Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted celebrated his 75th birthday earlier this month, which reportedly means he's going to retire and will be replaced by a new bishop.

"Preparing for a new Bishop with gratitude and trust," the Diocese of Phoenix posted on its webpage.

On Jan. 21, when Olmsted celebrated his birthday, Pope Francis asked him to submit his resignation. Olmsted is expected to reply to the Pope's request and will ask "for permission to retire, having reached the age limit for bishops," the diocese said.

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"The Pope may accept Bishop's resignation at his leisure, and the Diocese of Phoenix will be in a time of prayer and anticipation while we wait the appointment of our next bishop," the website said. "Bishop Olmsted will remain bishop of the diocese until Pope Francis accepts his resignation. The next bishop may or may not be appointed at the same time."

In the same announcement, the diocese issued an invitation to pray "during this time of transition" in recognition for Olmsted and his love of Christ, his peaceful retirement, for inspiration from the Holy Spirit as the pope and the Congregation for Bishops "discern our next bishop," and to pray "for our next bishop and the future of the Diocese of Phoenix." 

Born Jan. 21, 1947, Olmsted grew up on a family farm at the Kansas-Nebraska border, according to his bio on the diocese website. He attended St. Thomas Seminary College in Denver in 1969, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. He was ordained a priest about four years later in the Diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska.

For 16 years, Olmsted lived in Rome, where he earned his master’s degree in theology, a doctorate in canon law and served more than nine years in the Secretariat of State of the Holy See. He was Bishop of Wichita, Kansas, following his ordination as coadjutor bishop on April 20, 1999.

He was ­installed as the Diocese of Phoenix's fourth Bishop on Dec. 20, 2003.

Olmsted has been a member of the Jesus Caritas ­fraternity of priests for close to 48 years.