Long Island Bishop Lawrence Provenzano, whose New York diocese includes the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens and the two suburban counties to the east, announced Dec. 10 he plans to step down in 2026 after 17 years as bishop.

Provenzano was consecrated bishop in September 2009. He previously had served as a priest in the dioceses of Western Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In his letter to the Diocese of Long Island, Provenzano, who turns 70 this January, said he intends to conclude his leadership of the diocese in September 2026, which would be a few months before he reaches the church’s mandatory retirement age of 72.