Steven John Raica J.C.D. | |
---|---|
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 | |
Previous post(s) | |
Alma mater |
|
Motto | Sursum corda (Lift up your hearts) |
Styles of Steven John Raica | |
---|---|
Reference style | |
Spoken style | Your Excellency |
Religious style | Bishop |
Steven John Raica (born November 8, 1952) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama since 2020. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord in Michigan from 2014 to 2020
Steven Raica was born on November 8, 1952, in Munising, Michigan to Steve and Mary Raica. [1] He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, a Master of Divinity degree from St. John's Provincial Seminary in Plymouth, Michigan, and a Master of Religious Studies degree from the University of Detroit. [1]
Raica was ordained a priest at St. Mary Cathedral in Lansing for the Diocese of Lansing by Bishop Kenneth Povish on October 14, 1978. [2] After his 1978 ordination, the diocese assigned Raica as parochial vicar at Holy Redeemer Parish in Burton, Michigan and St. Pius X Parish in Flint, Michigan. [3]
In 1984, the diocese moved Raica to Holy Family Parish in Ovid, Michigan to serve as pastor. The next year, he left Holy Family to become co-rector of St. Mary Cathedral. In 1988, Raica traveled to Rome to attend the Pontifical Gregorian University, receiving a Licentiate in Canon Law and a Doctor of Canon law degree. [3]
After his return to Michigan in 1991, the diocese named Raica as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Charlotte, Michigan, serving there until 1993. He became pastor of St. Ann Parish in Bellevue, Michigan in 1995. In 1997, Raica was appointed as chancellor of the diocese. [3] Pope John Paul II named him an honorary prelate of his holiness, with the title of monsignor, in 1998.
Raica returned to Rome in 1999 to serve as the superior of Casa Santa Maria, the graduate studies house of the Pontifical North American College. At the same time, he was also spiritual director and adjunct faculty at the college. When Raica came back to Lansing in 2005, he resumed his role as chancellor. [3]
Raica served the diocese 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.
On June 27, 2014, Pope Francis appointed Raica as the fifth bishop of Gaylord. [2] [4] He was consecrated by Archbishop Allen Vigneron on August 28, 2014, in St. Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Gaylord, Michigan. Bishop Emeritus Carl Mengeling and Coadjutor Archbishop Bernard Hebda were the principal co-consecrators. [2]
In February 2017, Reverend Sylvestre Obwaka, a Nigerian priest from St. Ignatius Parish in Rogers City, Michigan, was arrested on sexual assault charges. Another priest had accused Obwaka of assaulting him when he was sleeping at Obwaka's residence after a night of drinking. Raica later spoke with Obwaka, who admitted sexual contact with the man. [5] Obwaka was acquitted in July 2017. [6]
Francis named Raica as bishop of Birmingham on March 25, 2020. [7] [8] He was installed on June 23, 2020. Raica can converse in Italian and Polish, and has a reading knowledge of Latin, French, Spanish and German. [1]
The Archdiocese of Detroit is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church covering the Michigan counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne. It is the metropolitan archdiocese of the Ecclesiastical Province of Detroit, which includes all dioceses in the state of Michigan. In addition, in 2000 the archdiocese accepted pastoral responsibility for the Catholic Church in the Cayman Islands, which consists of Saint Ignatius Parish on Grand Cayman.
Adam Joseph Maida is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. Maida served as the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit in Michigan from 1990 to 2009, and was elevated to cardinal in 1994. Maida previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay in Wisconsin from 1984 to 1990.
The Diocese of Gaylord is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in the northern region of the lower peninsula of Michigan in the United States. The diocese is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Detroit.
The Diocese of Lansing is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory – or diocese – of the Catholic Church located in the south-central portion of Michigan in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of metropolitan Archdiocese of Detroit.
The Archdiocese of Newark is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or archdiocese, of the Catholic Church in northeastern New Jersey in the United States.
The Diocese of Saginaw is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Michigan in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Detroit.
Robert Joseph Baker is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama from 2007 to 2019 and as bishop of the Diocese of Charleston in South Carolina from 1999 to 2007
The Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory. or diocese, of the Catholic Church that encompasses the northern 39 counties of Alabama in the United States. It was erected on December 9, 1969, with territory from what is now the Archdiocese of Mobile. The Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Mobile.
Joseph H. Albers D.D. was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Albers served as the first bishop of the new Diocese of Lansing in Michigan in from 1937 until his death in 1964. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in Ohio from 1929 until 1937.
James Albert Murray was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Kalamazoo in Michigan from 1998 to 2009.
Carl Frederick Mengeling S.T.D is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Lansing in Michigan from 1996 to 2008.
Earl Alfred Boyea Jr. is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as the bishop of the Diocese of Lansing in Michigan since 2008. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit in Michigan from 2002 to 2008.
Kenneth Joseph Povish was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Crookston in Minnesota from 1970 to 1975 and as bishop of the Diocese of Lansing in Michigan from 1975 to 1995.
Robert Dwayne Gruss is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has served as the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Saginaw in Michigan since 2019. Gruss previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City in South Dakota from 2011 to 2019.
John Thomas Folda is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Fargo in North Dakota since 2013.
The Most Reverend David John Walkowiak, J.C.D. is a prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as the twelfth bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids in Michigan since 2013.
Chad William Zielinski is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who is the fifth bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm in the state of Minnesota. He previously served as Bishop of the Diocese of Fairbanks in Alaska from 2014 to 2022.
Gerald Lee Vincke is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop for the Diocese of Salina in Kansas since 2018.
Francis Ignatius Malone is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop for the Diocese of Shreveport in Louisiana since 2019.
Jeffrey Joseph Walsh is an American prelate of the Catholic Church who serves as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord in Michigan.