Pope Francis appoints Bishop Bruce Lewandowski as Bishop of Providence
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Pope Francis has named a Maryland prelate to serve as Rhode Island’s new Roman Catholic bishop, the Vatican announced Tuesday, giving the state’s Catholics fresh leadership on the eve of Holy Week.
by: Ted Nesi, Hannah Cotter
The pope’s selection of the Most Rev. Bruce Lewandowski of the Archdiocese of Baltimore was announced in a bulletin at Roman noon, which is 6 a.m. Eastern.
During a morning news conference at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, Lewandowski described the day as “a little bit overwhelming, to be honest,” telling reporters he cried when he was first told the news. He encouraged people to call him “Bishop Bruce.”
“I have wanted my whole life to be a poor man serving among the poor and a man who is good news for others,” Lewandowski said.
“I open my heart to you,” he added. “I give you my heart and there’s plenty of room there for you. There is space for you. And I look forward to moving forward and journeying with you.”
The announcement follows a period of unusual turnover at Cathedral Square in Providence.
Bishop Thomas Tobin retired in 2023, once he reached the church’s mandatory retirement age of 75, after nearly two decades leading the diocese. He had been appointed in 2005 by Pope John Paul II, just days before that pontiff’s death.
The pope initially tapped Bishop Richard Henning of Rockville Centre, N.Y., to succeed Tobin. But Francis quickly decided to move Henning to the Archdiocese of Boston, where he succeeded Cardinal Sean O’Malley, leaving Providence without a bishop once again as of last fall until Tuesday’s announcement.
In a statement about Lewandowski’s appointment, Henning said, “I have a deep love for that diocese and its people, and I am grateful that the Holy Father has chosen a joyful and energetic young bishop who speaks Spanish and Portuguese and has experience in pastoral planning.”
Lewandowski, 57, was born in Ohio and grew up on a farm before being ordained a priest in 1994 in Washington, D.C., according to his diocesan biography. He previously did missionary work in the Caribbean and was also a pastor in Pennsylvania. Francis named him an auxiliary bishop in 2020.
Lewandowski is a member of the Redemptorists religious order. “I think that redemption comes not just through the preached word, but through the lived and practiced ministries of the church that bring others closer to Christ and his church and offers them a future in heaven,” he said.
The new bishop said he has worked with Hispanic communities for more than three decades. “They have cared for me so much,” he said. “I feel Latino in my heart.” He also expressed concern about those “going through difficult times right now in our immigrant community.”
After he learned of his new appointment, Lewandowski said he was called aside by Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, who told him, “It will be easy for you to fall in love with the people of Providence.”
“He’s right,” Lewandowski said, adding, “Is there a more beautiful place than Rhode Island? I think it’s a piece of heaven on earth, and I’m only just getting an introduction.”