PROVIDENCE – A new bishop has been appointed to lead the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence.
The Most Rev. Bruce A. Lewandowski, who recently served as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, has been appointed by Pope Francis on Tuesday to lead the state’s Catholic church and related schools and organizations as the new bishop.
In an introductory press event Tuesday at the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Lewandowski said he was surprised to be named bishop and never expected to come to “a beautiful place” in Rhode Island.
“It’s like a piece of heaven on earth,” Lewandowski said, also noting that being named the Diocese's new bishop is a "great blessing."
Lewandowski succeeds The Rev. Richard G. Henning, who
became the Archdiocese of Boston’s new archbishop back in August after longtime Cardinal Seán O’Malley resigned. Henning was
named the Diocese of Providence’s bishop in November 2022, succeeding The Rev. Thomas J. Tobin, who resigned after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. Henning served that role for a little more than a year
starting in May 2023 until he was called to serve in Massachusetts’ capital city last summer.
Lewandowski, a Toledo, Ohio native, has served as auxiliary bishop of Baltimore as well as vicar for Hispanic Catholics and vicar for Baltimore City for the Archdiocese of Baltimore since 2020. Prior to that, Lewandowski, the Diocese said, ministered as an associate pastor of Saint Cecilia Parish in East Harlem, N.Y., from 1994 through 1999.
Lewandowski also served as a pastor or assistant pastor in various parishes for the next 15 years in South Bronx, N.Y., Vieux Fort, Saint Lucia, West Indies, and Philadelphia before his recent time in Baltimore, the Diocese said.
Lewandowski said Tuesday experiencing new places, people and opportunities is a chance to grow faith, hope and charity. The experiences he had in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore have "enriched my life and brought me closer to our Lord," he said.
"I love the church. There's nothing I'd rather do than serve God's people and the church," Lewandowski said. "I'm going to love being a bishop."
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on X at @James_Bessette.
