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Mitchell T. Rozanski

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His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Mitchell Thomas Rozanski
Archbishop of St. Louis
SeeSaint Louis
AppointedJune 10, 2020
InstalledAugust 25, 2020
PredecessorRobert James Carlson
Previous post(s)
Orders
OrdinationNovember 24, 1984
by William Donald Borders
ConsecrationAugust 24, 2004
by William Henry Keeler, William Clifford Newman, and William Francis Malooly
Personal details
Born (1958-08-06) August 6, 1958 (age 66)
Baltimore, Maryland, US
DenominationRoman Catholic
MottoServe the Lord with gladness
Styles of
Mitchell Thomas Rozanski
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleArchbishop

Mitchell Thomas Rozanski (born August 6, 1958) is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of St. Louis since 2020. He previously served as Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts from 2014 to 2020 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore from 2004 to 2014.

Biography

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Early life and education

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Mitchell Rozanski was born on August 6, 1958, in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Sacred Heart of Mary School in Dundalk, Maryland, and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel High School in Essex, Maryland. After his high school graduation, Rozanski entered the Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C. He later received his seminary training at CUA's Theological College.[1]

Ordination and ministry

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Rozanski was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of Mary, Our Queen, in Baltimore for the Archdiocese of Baltimore by Archbishop William Borders on November 24, 1984.[2] After his ordination, Rozanksi performed pastoral assignments at the following parishes in Maryland:

  • Assistant pastor at St. Michael in Overlea in 1984
  • Assistant pastor at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore in 1985.[1]
  • Associate Pastor at St. Anthony in Baltimore in 1985
  • Associate pastor at St. Isaac Jogues in Baltimore in 1990
  • Administrator of Holy Cross and St. Mary Star of the Sea in Baltimore in March 1993, before being appointed pastor there in October 1993[1]
  • Temporary administrator of Immaculate Conception in Towson in January 2000
  • Temporary administrator of St. John the Evangelist in Severna Park, becoming pastor on November 28, 2000[1]

Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore

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On July 3, 2004, Rozanski was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of Baltimore and titular bishop of Walla Walla by Pope John Paul II,[2] becoming the youngest bishop in the United States at that time. He received his episcopal consecration at the Cathedral of Mary, Our Queen, on August 24, 2004, from Cardinal William Keeler, with Bishops William Newman and W. Francis Malooly serving as co-consecrators.[2] Rozanski selected as his episcopal motto: "Serve The Lord With Gladness."[3]

As an auxiliary bishop, Rozanski was appointed as vicar for Hispanic ministries. He also served as the Seton vicar, supervising parishes in Anne Arundel, Howard, Carroll, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced on April 18, 2011, that Rozanski would succeed Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, as co-chair of the Polish National Catholic-Roman Catholic dialogue. He was named to the post by Archbishop Wilton Gregory. On November 12, 2013, Rozanski was elected as chair of the USCCB Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.[4]

Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts

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Coat of arms as bishop of Springfield

On June 19, 2014, Pope Francis named Rozanski the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts.[5] He was installed on August 12, 2014.

In September 2018, a Diocesan Review Board notified Rozanski that it had found an allegation of sexual abuse by former Springfield Bishop Christopher Weldon to be credible. The board cited a Chicopee, Massachusetts, resident who said that Weldon had abused him a child. The board later split on the case, with several members saying that the victim did not name Weldon directly. Three other board members maintained they had witnessed otherwise. In June 2019, Rozanski met with the victim, saying he found the allegations "deeply troubling".[6][7] In June 2020, an investigation by retired Superior Court Judge Peter A. Velis found the victim's claim "to be unequivocally credible."[8]

After the Velis' findings were released, Rozanski asked Trinity Health of New England to remove Weldon's name from its rehabilitation center, the former Farren Memorial Hospital in Montague, Massachusetts. Weldon's remains were disinterred and moved to more secluded spot in the cemetery. Rozanski ordered the removal of all photographs, memorials and other mentions of Weldon from all diocesan facilities, schools and churches.[8]

In December 2019, Rozanski banned the Pioneer Valley Gay Men's Chorus from singing in a Christmas caroling concert at St. Theresa's of Lisieux Parish in South Hadley, Massachusetts.[9][10]

In June 2020, Robert M. Hoatson, co-founder of Road to Recover Inc. for survivors of clerical sexual abuse, called on Rozanski to resign. Hoatson described Rozanski's handling of sexual abuse allegations against Weldon to be “woefully deficient.”[11] Hoatson also called on Pope Francis to rescind his appointment of Rozanski as archbishop of St. Louis.[11]

Archbishop of St. Louis

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On June 10, 2020, Francis appointed Rozanski as archbishop of St. Louis, following the retirement of Archbishop Robert Carlson.[12] Rozanski was installed on August 25, 2020, at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis in St. Louis, Missouri.[13]

In May 2023, Rozanski announced All Things New, a plan to reduce the number of parishes in the archdiocese from 178 to 134 with closures and mergers.[14] Seven parishes filed appeals in August 2023 with the Dicastery for the Clergy in Rome, which decided to accept appeals from two parishes.[15] The Dicastery in June 2024 rejected the appeals from the two parishes.[16]

Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski blessing a live Nativity in De Soto, Missouri December 19, 2021.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Most Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore.
  2. ^ a b c "Bishop Mitchell Thomas Rozanski". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  3. ^ "Coat of Arms". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore.
  4. ^ "Archbishop Kurtz Elected President of U.S. Bishops, Cardinal DiNardo Elected Vice President". www.usccb.org. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  5. ^ "Pope names new Springfield, Massachusetts bishop". The Washington Post. Associated Press. June 19, 2014. Archived from the original on June 19, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  6. ^ "Former bishop not listed as 'credibly accused,' despite diocesan board's finding | The Berkshire Eagle | Pittsfield Breaking News, Sports, Weather, Traffic". August 24, 2019. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  7. ^ "Sex abuse claim against late Springfield bishop Christopher Weldon demonstrates challenge victims face - masslive.com". June 16, 2019. Archived from the original on June 16, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Abuse allegations against late Springfield, Mass., bishop found credible". National Catholic Reporter. June 26, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  9. ^ Voghel, Jazquelyn (January 7, 2020). "Pioneer Valley Gay Men's Chorus says diocese barred them from concert". The Daily Hampshire Gazette. Northampton, Massachusetts. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. Then, about two weeks before the concert, the group was informed that Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of the Springfield diocese would not allow them to perform...
  10. ^ Bourne, Alden (January 3, 2020). "Gay Singing Group Says Springfield Bishop Prevented It From Taking Part In Concert". New England Public Radio. Springfield, Mass. The Pioneer Valley Gay Men's Chorus is crying foul after it says it was told it couldn't sing at a church holiday concert on orders from the Catholic bishop in Springfield, Massachusetts.
  11. ^ a b Merzbach, Scott (June 27, 2020). "Clerical sex abuse survivor calls on Bishop Rozanski to resign over report". Daily Hampshire Gazette. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  12. ^ "Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis; Names Bishop Mitchell Rozanski of Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts as Successor". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  13. ^ "Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski". Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  14. ^ "St. Louis Archdiocese reorganization will cut parishes from 178 to 134". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  15. ^ "Vatican agrees to review closures of two St. Louis parishes amid archdiocesan restructuring". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  16. ^ "St. Louis parish appeals continue as Vatican upholds latest merger". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
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Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Archbishop of Saint Louis
2020–Present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by Bishop of Springfield in Massachusetts
2014–2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
-
 Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore
2004–2014 		Succeeded by
-
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