New Bishop for Portland Maine

 

Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Bishop Robert Deeley of Diocese of Portland; Appoints Rev. James Ruggieri as Successor

WASHINGTON - Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Robert P. Deeley, 77, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Portland, and has appointed Reverend James T. Ruggieri, as Bishop-elect of Portland. Bishop-elect Ruggieri is a priest of the Diocese of Providence, and currently serves as pastor at St. Patrick’s parish and St. Michael’s parish in Providence, Rhode Island. The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington, D.C. on February 13, 2024, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The following biographical information for Bishop-elect Ruggieri was drawn from preliminary materials provided to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:

Father Ruggieri was born January 12, 1968, in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended public schools in Barrington, Rhode Island, followed by studies at Holy Cross and Providence College (1986-1990) and received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy while attending Our Lady of Providence Seminary. He received a master’s in divinity and a bachelor’s in sacred theology from St. Mary Seminary and University (1990-1995) in Baltimore, Maryland. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Providence on June 24, 1995.

Bishop-elect Ruggieri’s assignments after ordination include: parochial vicar at St. Matthew parish in Cranston (1995-1998), St. Aloysius, St. Ann, and Our Lady of Victories parishes in Woonsocket (1998-2001), and Holy Spirit Catholic Community in Central Falls (2001-2003), and as administrator of St. Casimir parish in Providence (2004-2011), and St. John the Baptist parish in Pawtucket (2005-2006). He was named pastor of St. Patrick parish in 2003, and in 2020 was named pastor of St. Michael’s parish, both in Providence, where he currently serves.

Bishop-elect Ruggieri’s additional responsibilities for the Diocese of Providence have included serving as vicar forane for Providence Central City (2006-2009), and a member of the diocesan council of priests (2008-2011) and the priests’ personnel board (2013-2014). He speaks English and Spanish.

The Diocese of Portland is comprised of 35,385 square miles in the state of Maine and has a total population of 1,362,357, of which 286,095 are Catholic.

Bishop helps out at summer mission churches in Maine

 

Maine bishop is ‘supply priest’ at summer chapel serving locals, tourists

Bishop Robert P. Deeley of Portland, Maine, welcomes Massgoers at Star of the Sea Church in York Beach Aug. 21, 2022. (CNS photo/courtesy Diocese of Portland)

By: Catholic News Service

Date: August 24, 2022

YORK BEACH, Maine (CNS) — With so many summer chapels and mission churches open across Maine during the warmer months, scheduling priests to fill the Mass schedules can be daunting.

So when Star of the Sea Church in York Beach found itself needing a priest for over 350 people assembled for Sunday Mass Aug. 21, they received an unexpected assist.

Portland Bishop Robert P. Deeley came to celebrate Mass for the mix of locals and travelers, joined by Msgr. Marc Caron, the diocese’s vicar general.

Many of the faithful on Sunday were visiting Maine and struck with surprise upon seeing the state’s lone Catholic bishop entering the church.

“Oh my goodness,” said Muriel. “I didn’t expect to see the bishop here.”

“It was such a nice surprise and a beautiful Mass,” said Sheilah. “The smiles were visible all throughout the church.”

“I am, as they say, the supply priest this morning,” the bishop told the assembly, who responded with a chorus of laughter.

The bishop told those gathered that although his visit didn’t mark a special occasion, every time people gather for the celebration of the Eucharist, it is the most important thing a parish community can do.

“Jesus’ presence to us in the Eucharist is our food for the journey of life. How grateful we can be that this chapel exists as the place in which this community is able to gather and celebrate,” said the bishop, “and how grateful can we be, that when we come here for Mass, there is, in fact a gathering of people. There is a community.”

“We support each other in the living of our faith by coming together in this way, celebrating this Eucharist,” he said.

Even on vacation, we need to live our faith each day, Bishop Deeley added.

“Here, in this chapel, we are formed for the world. Here we are changed by the presence of Jesus. Here we are sent forth to witness to his message,” he said. “Living the Christian life takes effort. It calls us to give of ourselves. Jesus’ way of life calls us to get beyond our own interests.”

“We are asked to care for others, and to think of others,” he said. “When we gather as a community at Eucharist, just by the very act of celebrating the Mass, we are reminded of our need for each other, and of the ways in which God has blessed us, how his mercy is great, and his love is all-embracing.”

Star of the Sea Church is open from late May through mid-October to accommodate the influx of tourists.

“We love coming here to visit our children and it’s wonderful to see the bishop appreciate this church as much as we do,” said Janice, a visitor from Massachusetts.