Joseph A. Williams
Joseph A. Williams | |
|---|---|
| Coadjutor Bishop of Camden | |
| Diocese | Camden |
| Appointed | May 21, 2024 (as coadjutor) |
| Previous post(s) |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 28, 2002 by Harry Joseph Flynn |
| Consecration | January 25, 2022 by Bernard Hebda, Richard Pates, Andrew H. Cozzens |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 2, 1974 |
| Motto | Misericordiam volo (I want mercy) |
| Styles of Joseph Andrew Williams | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Joseph Andrew Williams (born May 2, 1974) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who serves as Coadjutor Bishop of Camden.
Biography
[edit]Early life
[edit]Joseph Williams was born on May 2, 1974, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has eight siblings, one of whom, Peter Williams, is a priest in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Joseph Williams attended Saint Croix Catholic School in Stillwater, Minnesota, and graduated from Stillwater High School in 1992.[1]
Williams studied at the University of Minnesota Morris (UMN–Morris) where he was a varsity tennis player and twice competed in the NCAA Division III men's tennis championships. He graduated from UMN–Morris with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996.[2]
Williams continued his studies at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio. While there, he decided to become a priest. He received a philosophy/pre-theology degree from the university in 1998 and then entered the Saint Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was awarded a Master of Divinity degree in 2002.[1]
Priesthood
[edit]Williams was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis by Archbishop Harry Flynn on May 28, 2002, at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in St. Paul, Minnesota.[3] The archdiocese assigned Williams as parochial vicar at the Cathedral of Saint Paul from 2002 to 2004 and Divine Mercy in Faribault from 2004 to 2005.[2] In 2005, Williams was appointed pastor of Saint Mathias Parish in Hampton, Minnesota, and Saint Mary parish in New Trier, Minnesota. He left both parishes in 2008 to become pastor of Saint Stephen Parish in Minneapolis.
When Williams was appointed as pastor of Saint Stephen's, the parish was largely failing to follow the rubrics of the Mass of the Second Vatican Council and did not submit to the teachings of the Catholic Church.[4] Williams' efforts to bring the parish in line with Catholic teaching resulted in many of the older parishioners walking out in the middle of Mass and leaving the parish entirely.[5] His first Christmas Mass at the parish had no worshippers.[6] Williams eventually rebuilt the parish into a thriving Latino community, the largest in Minnesota, with over 1,600 families.[7][8]
Archbishop Bernard Hebda in 2018 named Williams as the vicar for the Latino ministry.[2]
During the 2020 George Floyd protests in Minneapolis, Williams responded to a cry for help in the middle of the night from a parishioner family whose apartment building was in danger of burning down. He drove to the apartment and welcomed them into the parish rectory for safety.[9]
Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
[edit]Pope Francis appointed Williams as an auxiliary bishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis on December 10, 2021.[2][1][10] On January 25, 2022, Williams was consecrated as bishop by Archbishop Bernard Hebda at the Cathedral of Saint Paul, with Bishops Richard Pates and Andrew H. Cozzens acting as co-consecrators.[3] During his time as auxiliary bishop, Williams led initiatives for Latino ministry and implementation of the 2022 Archdiocesan synod.
Coadjutor of Camden
[edit]Pope Francis named Williams as Coadjutor Bishop of Camden on May 21, 2024.[11][12] He was received with a Mass of Welcome on September 10, 2024.[13][14] He will assume the bishopric upon the retirement of Bishop Dennis Joseph Sullivan, presumed to be in March of 2025 upon his 80th birthday.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Pope Francis Names Rev. Joseph Williams Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis". Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Pope Francis Names New Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis". US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
- ^ a b "Bishop Joseph Andrew Williams [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-03-25.
- ^ Coleman, Nick (March 1, 2008). "The push for conformity shoves away parishioners". Star Tribune. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ Bayly, Michael J. (15 February 2009). "The Wild Reed: A Catholic "Crisis and Opportunity" in South Minneapolis". The Wild Reed.
- ^ Hrbacek, Dave (26 March 2013). "Word on the streets". TheCatholicSpirit.com. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ French, Rose (March 31, 2013). "Latinos give Minneapolis Catholic church new life". Star Tribune. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ Sotro, Melina. "Evangelization, Formation, Invitation". Newsroom | University of St. Thomas.
- ^ Umberger, Barb (January 21, 2022). "In 2020, Bishop-elect Williams rescued parishioners from riots". TheCatholicSpirit.com.
- ^ Omastiak, Rebecca. "Pope Francis names new auxiliary bishop of Minneapolis, St. Paul". KSTP.com. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
- ^ "Pope Francis Appoints Bishop Joseph Williams as Coadjutor Bishop of Camden | USCCB". www.usccb.org. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
- ^ "Resignations and Appointments, 21.05.2024". Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ "Bishop Williams named coadjutor bishop of Camden, New Jersey". Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ "Bishop Williams' Mass of Welcome a ticketed event". Retrieved August 30, 2024.
External links
[edit]
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden Official Site
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Official Site
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