Tenth bishop of Providence appointed, seeks closeness with his flock on the journey

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (OSV News) ­-- Pope Francis has named a new bishop of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, Bishop Bruce Alan Lewandowski, C.S.R., titular Bishop of Croae and, to date, auxiliary bishop of Baltimore. The appointment was announced by the Vatican on April 8.

On the day of the appointment, there were several emotion-filled moments as Bishop Lewandowski took to the podium only four hours after being named the 10th shepherd of the Diocese of Providence.

As he addressed a large gathering in the hall below the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Providence, Bishop Lewandowski expressed how overwhelming the experience was for him, a Redemptorist priest who never expected to be named an ordinary.

"I have wanted my whole life to be a poor man serving among the poor and a man who is good news for others," Bishop Lewandowski, 57, said, in response to a question from Rhode Island Catholic, the newspaper of the Diocese of Providence, about his formation with the order.

The bishop often smiled as he spoke of his philosophy of leadership ­-- getting closer to the people he serves ­­-- and joked about how those he encounters often stumble over the pronunciation of his last name (pronounced Lee-wan-dowski), leading many to call him "Bishop Bruce."

"I'm so thrilled to be here… and I never expected to be coming to such a beautiful place. I'm very grateful," said Bishop Lewandowski, who has served in New York, Philadelphia, Saint Lucia, West Indies and Baltimore.

He then spoke briefly in fluent Spanish, shedding some tears.

"I'll find even greater beauty in the people that make up this wonderful diocese," he said.

Bishop Lewandowski offered his gratitude to retired Providence Bishop Thomas J. Tobin and former Auxiliary Bishop Robert C. Evans for the pastoral support they've given him, and also expressed his appreciation to the Holy Father for the "trust and confidence" placed in him through this appointment.

He recalled meeting Pope Francis during a bishops' orientation course in Rome. "He let me hug him, it was just a memorable moment," he said, asking for prayers for the pontiff's health.

Since 2020, Bishop Lewandowski has served as auxiliary bishop of Baltimore as well as vicar for Hispanic Catholics and vicar for Baltimore City for the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

He thanked Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore for his friendship and guidance over the past five years that he has served there. "It has truly been a blessing in my life to have served in the Archdiocese of Baltimore," Bishop Lewandowski said.

On April 8, Archbishop Lori told Catholic Review, the publishing arm of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, "Although we shall all keenly miss the presence and ministry of Bishop Lewandowski in our midst, it must be said that Pope Francis could not have chosen a better bishop for the Diocese of Providence. Throughout his service here in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Bishop Lewandowski served the People of God with zeal, fidelity, and love."

While in Baltimore, Bishop Lewandowski was also responsible for organizing the local participation in Pope Francis' Synod on Synodality.

"What does synodality mean?" he asked.

"The church is a big ear and a big heart," he said, "A church that listens to everyone, from those inside the fold to those that find themselves living on the fringes, on the edges of the flock."

Synodality is all about the heart, he said.

"I can't love you unless I know you," Bishop Lewandowski said. "And I can't know you unless I get close to you. And if I don't get close to you, I can never hear you. If I don't hear you, I don't understand who you are or where you're coming from. And how are we ever going to journey together toward the fullness of the kingdom unless we do that."

Archbishop Richard G. Henning, who served as the ninth bishop of Providence until he was installed as the archbishop of Boston on Oct. 31. 2024, described his successor's joy and energy in leading his flock.

"I am grateful to our Holy Father Pope Francis for his appointment of a new bishop for Providence," Archbishop Henning said in a statement to Rhode Island Catholic. "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. I wish Bishop Bruce Lewandowski every blessing as he exercises his ministry in the State of Hope!"

Msgr. Albert A. Kenney, the moderator of the Curia who has served as diocesan administrator in Providence since Archbishop Henning's departure, introduced Bishop Lewandowski with a psalm from the Easter liturgy.

"Even though we are still in the season of Lent, I would like to say the joy of Easter has come a little early this year," he said with a nod to the new bishop. "The Lord has answered our prayers. Indeed, all of us in the Diocese of Providence can today say: 'This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.'"

He added that, guided by Rhode Island's motto, "Hope," the diocese continues its more than 150-year-old mission as pilgrims of hope, faith and charity now under the leadership of our new bishop.

Following the April 8 press conference, Bishop Lewandowski concelebrated noon Mass in the cathedral with Archbishop Henning and Bishops Tobin and Evans. He then spent the first of two days touring diocesan outreach ministries and schools.

He will be installed at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul on May 20.

Born in Toledo, Ohio, on June 8, 1967, to the late Frances (Czelusta) and Robert Lewandowski, the future bishop, the second of four children, grew up with his three siblings -- Sister Mary Francis Lewandowski, CSSF; Paula Chupp (James); and Joseph Lewandowski -- on the family horse farm about 75 miles south in rural Lima, Ohio.

In September 1988, he professed first vows in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, the order of the Redemptorists, and completed his formation and education at Saint Alphonsus College in Suffield, Connecticut, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, Holy Redeemer College in Washington, and then Washington Theological Union where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. Bishop William Curlin, then-bishop of Charlotte, ordained him to the Sacred Priesthood in the Basilica Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on May 7, 1994.

As a Redemptorist priest, Bishop Lewandowski ministered as an Associate Pastor of Saint Cecilia Parish in East Harlem, New York (1994-1999); Pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in South Bronx, New York (1999 to 2002); in missionary service as Assistant Pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia, West Indies (2002 to 2005); Pastor of Our Lady of the Visitation Parish in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2005 to 2011); Vicar for Cultural Ministries for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (2011 to 2015); and Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Baltimore (2015 to 2020). In 2019, Archbishop Lori named him archdiocesan Vicar for Hispanic Catholics.

Pope Francis, named then-Father Lewandowski as an auxiliary bishop of Baltimore and titular bishop of Croae on June 10, 2020.

He was consecrated to the episcopacy in the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore on Aug. 18, 2020, by Archbishop Lori, with Auxiliary Bishop Adam J. Parker of Baltimore, and Auxiliary Bishop John J. McIntyre of Philadelphia as co-consecrators. Drawing on a prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi later adapted by the founder of his Redemptorist order, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop Lewandowski took for his episcopal motto "because by your Holy Cross."