Steven J. Raica

Styles of
**Steven John Raica**
Styles of; Steven John Raica
Reference style	His Excellency; The Most Reverend;
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Bishop

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Steven John Raica

J.C.D.
His Excellency, The Most Reverend; 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
Previous post(s)	Bishop of Gaylord (2014-2020);
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	November 8, 1952 (age 72); Munising, Michigan, US
Alma mater	Michigan State University; St. John’s Provincial Seminary; University of Detroit; Pontifical Gregorian University;
Motto	Sursum corda; (Lift up your hearts)

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

Biography

Early life and education

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]

Ordination and ministry

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.

Bishop of Gaylord

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]

Bishop of Birmingham

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]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Pope selects Michigan priest to become bishop". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Bishop Steven John Raica". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Pope Names Lansing, Michigan Chancellor as Bishop of Gaylord, Michigan". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
^ "Diocese of Gaylord". Giga-Catholic. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
^ "Northern Michigan priest arrested in sexual misconduct case". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
^ "Michigan Priest Acquitted Of Sexually Assaulting Priest - CBS Detroit". www.cbsnews.com. July 20, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
^ "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). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 31, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.

External links

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Robert Joseph Baker	Bishop of Birmingham 2020–present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Bernard Hebda	Bishop of Gaylord 2014–2020	Succeeded by Jeffrey Walsh

[cna-1] "Pope selects Michigan priest to become bishop". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved August 28, 2014.

[hierarchy-2] "Bishop Steven John Raica". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved August 28, 2014.

[usccb-3] "Pope Names Lansing, Michigan Chancellor as Bishop of Gaylord, Michigan". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 28, 2014.

[gcatholic-4] "Diocese of Gaylord". Giga-Catholic. Retrieved August 28, 2014.

[5] "Northern Michigan priest arrested in sexual misconduct case". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved February 28, 2024.

[6] "Michigan Priest Acquitted Of Sexually Assaulting Priest - CBS Detroit". www.cbsnews.com. July 20, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2024.

[7] "Resignations and Appointments, 25.03.2020" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.

[8] "The Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama Press Kit" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 31, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.

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v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama
Ordinaries	Bishops Joseph Gregory Vath Raymond James Boland David Edward Foley Robert Joseph Baker Steven John Raica
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Saint Paul, Birmingham Parishes St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church, Huntsville Shrine Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Hanceville
Education	High schools Pope John Paul II Catholic High School, Huntsville Holy Family Cristo Rey High School, Birmingham Holy Spirit Catholic School, Tuscaloosa John Carroll Catholic High School, Birmingham Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School, McClellan Independent school St. Bernard Preparatory School, Cullman
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord
Bishops	Edmund Szoka Robert John Rose Patrick R. Cooney Bernard Hebda Steven J. Raica Jeffrey Walsh
Churches	List List of churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord Cathedral St. Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral Parishes St. Joseph's Church, Glen Arbor Shrine Cross in the Woods
Education	High schools Catholic Central High School, Manistee St. Francis High School, Traverse City St. Mary Cathedral High School, Gaylord St. Mary High School, Lake Leelanau St. Michael Academy, Petoskey
Priests	Chad Zielinski
Catholicism portal

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing
Bishops	Ordinaries Joseph H. Albers Alexander M. Zaleski Kenneth Joseph Povish Carl Frederick Mengeling Earl Boyea Auxiliaries Michael Joseph Green James Stephen Sullivan
Churches	List of churches St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing St. Mary of Good Counsel Church, Adrian St. Patrick's Church, Ann Arbor St. Joseph Church and Shrine, Cambridge Township St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, Jackson St. Elizabeth's Church, Tecumseh (former) St. Mary Church, Westphalia
Education	Higher education Siena Heights University High schools Father Gabriel Richard High School (Ann Arbor) Lansing Catholic High School Lumen Christi Catholic High School (Jackson) Powers Catholic High School (Flint) St. Thomas More Academy (Burton)
Priests	Paul Vincent Donovan Steven J. Raica Gerald Lee Vincke
Catholicism portal