Pope Francis names Most Rev. James T. Ruggieri as the next bishop of the Diocese of Portland.
Bishop Robert P. Deeley, J.C.D. announces this morning that Pope Francis has named Most Rev. James T. Ruggieri, pastor of both Saint Michael the Archangel Parish and Saint Patrick Parish in Providence, RI, as the 13th Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. Most Rev. Ruggieri will be ordained and installed as bishop on May 7, 2024, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland.
“I am honored and humbled to have been chosen as the next Bishop of the Diocese of Portland by the Holy Father,” said Most Rev. Ruggieri. “I very much look forward to diving right into getting to know all who make up the diocese, especially the priests and parishioners. I am grateful that Bishop Deeley will retire in Maine and provide me with valuable support.”
Bishop Deeley, who has led the diocese for 10 years, will retire from his role on the occasion of the installation. As per Church law, Bishop Deeley submitted his formal letter of resignation to Pope Francis in 2022 at the age of 75. He will continue to reside in Maine as Bishop Emeritus.
“I have enjoyed immensely being Bishop of the Diocese of Portland for the last decade,” said Bishop Deeley. “The state of Maine is a very special place, with deep Catholic roots. It has been a blessing to get to know our communities of the faithful from Kittery to Fort Kent, from Rangeley to Eastport, and everywhere in between. I look forward to continuing my relationship with this great diocese and supporting Bishop Ruggieri.”
Most Rev. Ruggieri has been the pastor of Saint Patrick Parish since 2003 and Saint Michael Parish since 2020. In 2009, he, along with parishioners and supporters, founded Saint Patrick Academy, a Catholic college-preparatory high school in Providence. Prior to St. Patrick Parish, Most Rev. Ruggieri was an assistant pastor at St. Matthew Church in Cranston, All Saints Parish in Woonsocket, and Holy Spirit Parish in Central Falls.
He received a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Providence College and a Master of Divinity from St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, MD. A native of Rhode Island, he was ordained a priest in 1995 in the Diocese of Providence at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul.
About the Diocese of Portland
Established by Pope Pius IX on July 29, 1853, the Diocese of Portland of today includes the entire state of Maine and is part of the Province of Boston. The diocese has an area of 33,215 square miles and a population of more than 275,000 Catholics. It is organized in the form of a corporation sole, the title of which is "Roman Catholic Bishop of Portland." In addition to its 48 parishes, it has eight elementary schools, one private elementary school, one diocesan high school, and one private high school. It also includes one Catholic college, Saint Joseph's College of Maine in Standish.
