Bishop Steven J. Raica
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Table of Contents Press Release announcing Birmingham’s Fifth Bishop . 3 Comunicado de Prensa/Press Release in Spanish . 5 Statement from Bishop Robert J. Baker . 7 Statement from Bishop Steven J. Raica . 8 Curriculum Vitae for Bishop Raica . 11 Bishop Raica’s Coat of Arms . 14 Diocesan Statistics . 15 Map of the Diocese of Birmingham . 16 How Bishops are Appointed . 17 Symbols of a Bishop . 19 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 25, 2020 Birmingham has a new bishop Bishop Steven J. Raica appointed as fifth bishop of Birmingham BIRMINGHAM, AL - The Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama has a new bishop. This morning, March 25, Pope Francis named Bishop Steven J. Raica as the fifth bishop of Birmingham. Bishop Raica is currently the Bishop of Gaylord, Michigan. He will succeed Bishop Robert J. Baker, who has served the Diocese of Birmingham since October of 2007. The Diocese of Birmingham will hold a press conference today at 10 a.m. to introduce the new bishop. However, to protect the well-being of the press and general public during this present Covid-19 crisis, the press conference will be posted on the diocesan web page, www.bhmdiocese.org. Diocesan representatives will be available to answer any questions immediately following the 10 a.m. press conference outside the Chancery building located at 2121 3rd Ave., N., Birmingham. With the nomination of Bishop Raica, Bishop Baker’s retirement becomes effective and he becomes bishop emeritus of Birmingham in Alabama. The Holy See has appointed him apostolic administrator of the diocese until the time of Bishop Raica’s installation. Bishop Baker issued a statement this morning welcoming his successor and pledging his “support, prayer, and collaboration” to the new bishop. Bishop Raica, son of Mary and the late Steve Raica, was born Nov. 8, 1952 in Munising, Michigan. He has a younger brother, Joseph, who cares for their 93 year old mother near the bishop’s hometown. His father passed away in 1987. At the age of 17, Bishop Raica left the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to attend Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Michigan State, he went on to attend St. John’s Provincial Seminary in Plymouth, Michigan where he received a master of divinity degree. He also earned a master of arts degree in religious studies from the University of Detroit. On Oct. 14, 1978, Bishop Raica was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Lansing. After his ordination, he served as the parochial vicar for Holy Redeemer Parish in Burton, Michigan and St. Pius X Parish in Flint, Michigan until 1984. He served one year as pastor of Holy Family Parish in Ovid, Michigan before becoming the co-rector of St. Mary Cathedral in Lansing, Michigan and chaplain of Olivet College in Olivet. In 1988, Bishop Raica began studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome earning a licentiate and a doctorate in Canon Law. After completing his studies in Rome, he returned to Michigan in 1991 and became pastor of St. Mary Parish in Charlotte, Michigan until 1993. From 1995 to1997, Bishop Raica served as pastor of St. Ann Parish in Bellevue, Michigan. In 1997, he was made chancellor of the Diocese of Lansing, a position he held until 1999. Shortly after becoming chancellor of the diocese, Bishop Raica was named as an Honorary Prelate of His Holiness, with the title of Monsignor, in 1998, by Pope John Paul II. A year later in 1999, he began a six year term as superior of Casa Santa Maria in Rome, which is the graduate studies house of the Pontifical North American College (PNAC). During this time in Rome, Bishop Raica also served as a spiritual director and adjunct faculty member at the PNAC. Upon his return to the Lansing diocese in 2005, he was again asked to serve as the diocesan chancellor, where he served for 9 years. Pope Francis appointed Bishop Raica as the fifth bishop of Gaylord on June 27, 2014, and his episcopal ordination and installation took place Aug. 28, 2014 in St. Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Gaylord, Michigan, celebrated by Archbishop Allen Vigneron of Detroit. Bishop Emeritus Carl Mengeling of Lansing and Coadjutor Archbishop Bernard Hebda of Newark were the principal co-consecrators. As a priest of the Diocese of Lansing, he also served the diocesan tribunal as the promoter of justice, a tribunal judge, and a pro-synodal judge. He has also served on several boards, including that of Faith Catholic, and as vice postulator of the sainthood cause of Servant of God Antonietta Meo, an Italian girl who, in 1937, died of cancer at the age of six. The bishop is fluent in American Sign Language and has been involved in ministry to the deaf. He also has conversational ability in Italian and Polish and has reading capability in Spanish, French, Latin, and German. Birmingham’s new shepherd will be welcomed with solemn vespers on Monday, June 22, the night before his installation. Both the vespers and the Mass of Installation, on Tuesday, June 23, will take place at the Cathedral of St. Paul in Birmingham. More details will be published soon about the installation events. ### For more information, contact Father Douglas Vu at 205.838.8318 or [email protected] Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama 2121 3rd Avenue, North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203 205.838.8322 | bhmdiocese.org PARA PUBLICACIÓN INMEDIATA 25 marzo 2020 Birmingham tiene a un nuevo obispo Monseñor Steven J. Raica nombrado el quinto obispo de Birmingham BIRMINGHAM, AL – La Diócesis de Birmingham en Alabama tiene a un nuevo obispo. Esta mañana, el 25 de marzo, el Papa Francisco nombró al Obispo Steven J. Raica el quinto obispo de Birmingham. Monseñor Raica actualmente es obispo de Gaylord, Michigan. Sucederá al Obispo Robert J. Baker, quien ha servido en la Diócesis de Birmingham desde el octubre de 2007. La Diócesis de Birmingham tendrá una rueda de prensa hoy a las 10 a.m. para presentar al nuevo obispo. Sin embargo, para proteger el bienestar de la prensa y el público durante la actual crisis del Covid-19, la rueda de prensa estará puesta en la página web diocesana, www.bhmdiocese.org. Con el nombramiento del Obispo Raica, la jubilación del Obispo Baker tiene efecto y se vuelve obispo emérito de Birmingham en Alabama. Es más, la Santa Sede lo nombró administrador apostólico de la diócesis hasta el momento de la toma de posesión de Monseñor Raica. El Obispo Baker emitió una declaración hoy por la mañana dando la bienvenida a su sucesor y prometiendo sus “apoyo, oración y colaboración” al nuevo obispo. Monseñor Raica, hijo de Mary y del finado Steve Raica, nació el 8 de noviembre de 1952 en Munising, Michigan. Tiene a un hermano menor, Joseph, quien cuida de su madre (que tiene 93 años) cerca de su ciudad natal. Su padre falleció en 1987. A la edad de 17 años, Monseñor Raica dejó la Upper Peninsula (península superior) de Michigan para matricularse en la Michigan State University en Lansing, Michigan. Luego de su licenciatura en matemáticas en la Michigan State, salió para inscribirse en el St. John’s Provincial Seminary en Plymouth, Michigan, en donde cumplió la maestría en divinidad. Además obtuvo el máster en humanidades en estudios religiosos de la Universidad de Detroit. El 14 de octubre de 1978, Monseñor Raica fue ordenado sacerdote para la Diócesis de Lansing. Después de su ordenación, sirvió como vicario parroquial en la parroquia Holy Redeemer en Burton, Michigan y en la parroquia San Pio X en Flint, Michigan hasta el 1984. Fungió como párroco para un año en la parroquia Holy Family en Ovid, Michigan, antes de hacerse co-rector de la Catedral de Saint Mary en Lansing, Michigan y capellán del Olivet College en Olivet. En 1988, el Obispo Raica comenzó estudios en la Universidad Pontificia Gregoriana en Roma, logrando ser licenciado y doctorado en derecho canónico. Luego de acabar sus estudios en Roma, regresó a Michigan en 1991 y se hizo párroco de la Saint Mary Parish en Charlotte, Michigan hasta el 1993. De 1995 a 1997, Monseñor Raica sirvió como párroco de la parroquia Santa Anna en Bellevue, Michigan. En el 1997, fue nombrado canciller episcopal de la Diócesis de Lansing y permaneció así hasta 1999. Apenas después de ser nombrado canciller de la diócesis, el Obispo Racia fue nombrado Prelado de Honor de Su Santidad, con el título de monseñor, en 1998, por el papa Juan Pablo II. Un año más tarde, inició un plazo de seis años como superior de la Casa Santa María en Roma, la cual es la casa de estudios de postgrado del Pontificio Colegio Norteamericano (PCN). Durante su estadía en Roma, Monseñor Raica fungió también como director espiritual y profesor adjunto del PCN. Tras su regreso a la Diócesis de Lansing 2005, fue solicitado nuevamente a servir como canciller episcopal, lo cual hizo por unos nueve años. El Papa Francisco lo nombró el quinto obispo de Gaylord el 27 de junio de 2014, y su ordenación episcopal y toma de posesión aconteció el 28 de agosto de 2014 en la Catedral Saint Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel en Gaylord, Michigan, celebrada por el Arzobispo Allen Vigneron de Detroit. Los co-consagradores principales fueron el Obispo Emérito Carl Mengeling de Lansing y el Arzobispo Coajudator Bernard Hebda de Newark. Como sacerdote de la Diócesis de Lansing, Monseñor Raica también sirvió en el tribunal diocesano como promotor de justica, juez y juez pro-sinodal. Sirvió además en varios consejos, incluso aquel de Faith Catholic (revista diocesana), y como vicepostulador de la causa de canonización de la Venerable Antoniet- ta Meo, niña italiana quien, en el 1937, murió de cáncer a los seis años de edad.