Steven J. Raica
Steven John Raica (born November 8, 1952) is a Catholic bishop in the United States. Since 2020, he has been the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama.
Steven John Raica J.C.D. | |
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Bishop of Birmingham | |
Church | Catholic Church |
Diocese | Birmingham |
Appointed | March 25, 2020 |
Installed | June 23, 2020 |
Predecessor | Robert Joseph Baker |
Orders | |
Ordination | November 19, 1977 (deacon) October 14, 1978 (priest) by Kenneth Joseph Povish |
Consecration | August 28, 2014 by Allen Henry Vigneron, Carl Frederick Mengeling, and Bernard Hebda |
Personal details | |
Born | Munising, Michigan | November 8, 1952
Previous post | Bishop of Gaylord |
Alma mater |
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Motto | SURSUM CORDA Lift up your hearts |
Styles of Steven John Raica | |
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Reference style | |
Spoken style | Your Excellency |
Religious style | Bishop |
Biography
Early life and education
Steven John Raica was born in Munising, Michigan to Steve and Mary Raica.[1] He earned a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University, a master of divinity degree from St. John's Provincial Seminary in Plymouth, Michigan and a master of arts degree in religious studies from the University of Detroit.
Ordination and ministry
Raica was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lansing by Bishop Kenneth Povish on October 14, 1978.[2] After ordination, he served as the parochial vicar at two parishes between 1978 and 1984: Holy Redeemer Parish in Burton, Michigan and St. Pius X Parish in Flint, Michigan. He served as pastor of Holy Family Parish in Ovid, Michigan from 1984 to 1985 and as co-rector of St. Mary Cathedral from 1985 to 1988. Raica earned a licentiate and a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. After his return to Michigan he became the pastor of St. Mary Parish in Charlotte, Michigan from 1991 to 1993 and St. Ann Parish in Bellevue, Michigan from 1995 to 1997. From 1997 to 1999 and from 2005 to 2014 Raica served as chancellor of the Lansing diocese.[2] Pope John Paul II named him an Honorary Prelate of His Holiness, with the title Monsignor, in 1998. He was superior of Casa Santa Maria, the graduate studies house of the Pontifical North American College in Rome from 1999 to 2005. At the same time he served as a spiritual director and adjunct faculty at the college. In addition Raica served the Lansing diocese's tribunal as a pro-synodal judge, the promoter of justice and a tribunal judge. He was also involved in ministry to the deaf and is fluent in American Sign Language, can converse in Italian and Polish, and has a reading knowledge of Latin, French, Spanish and German.[1]
Bishop of Gaylord, Michigan
On June 27, 2014, Pope Francis appointed Raica the fifth bishop of Gaylord.[3][4] He was consecrated by Archbishop Allen Vigneron of Detroit on August 28, 2014, in St. Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Gaylord, Michigan. Bishop Emeritus Carl Mengeling of Lansing and Coadjutor Archbishop Bernard Hebda of Newark were the principal co-consecrators.
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
- "Pope selects Michigan priest to become bishop". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- "Pope Names Lansing, Michigan Chancellor as Bishop of Gaylord, Michigan". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- "Bishop Steven John Raica". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- "Diocese of Gaylord". Giga-Catholic. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- "Resignations and Appointments, 25.03.2020" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
- "The Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama Press Kit" (PDF). Retrieved March 25, 2020.
- Garrison, Greg (June 23, 2020). "New Catholic bishop takes office". AL.com. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
External links
Catholic Church titles | ||
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Preceded by Robert Joseph Baker |
Bishop of Birmingham 2020–present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
Preceded by Bernard Hebda |
Bishop of Gaylord 2014–2020 |
Succeeded by Sede Vacante |