He asks for prayers for himself in leading pastors in service for the mission of God’s Church, and he says he looks forward to working with Archbishop Robert J. Carlson in the transition in leadership of the archdiocese. (To view the video, visit bit.ly/3dbpNyE.)

On June 10, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop-designate Rozanski as the 11th bishop and 10th archbishop of St. Louis and accepted the retirement of Archbishop Carlson, who turned 75 in June 2019, the age at which bishops are required to submit their retirement to the pope. Archbishop-designate Rozanski, 61, has served as head of the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts, since 2014. He previously served as a priest and auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

The message to the people is one of six Archbishop-designate Rozanski made. He’s also addressing priests and deacons; seminarians; religious communities; educators; and donors to the Annual Catholic Appeal.

He tells priests and deacons that “I look forward to learning about all of you, sharing time with you in prayer and working together to continue creating a bright future for God’s people and His Holy Church.”

Archbishop-designate Rozanski encourages seminarians and calls Kenrick-Glennon Seminary “one of the best programs in the country.” He offers support to religious in their work as they serve the Lord and His people. In introducing himself to educators, the Archbishop-designate cites the challenges this past year of providing a quality faith-based education. And, in addressing people who generously support the Annual Catholic Appeal, he points to the importance of the work of the Church “and providing for those most in need in our communities.”