Most Reverend Mitchell Thomas Rozanski
10th Archbishop Of St. Louis
Curriculum Vitae
August 6, 1958, to Alfred Rozanski and Jean Rozanski (both deceased) in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the oldest of three sons. His first brother, Kenneth, and his wife, Lisa, have 2 daughters and a son. His youngest brother, Albert, and his wife, Danielle, have one son. All of the family members reside in Maryland.
The Most Reverend Mitchell T. Rozanski has served as the 10th Archbishop of St. Louis since Aug. 25, 2020. He previously served as the Bishop of Springfield, Massachusetts, from Aug. 12, 2014, until his installation in St. Louis.
Archbishop Rozanski was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on Aug. 6, 1958, the first of three sons born to Alfred and Jean Rozanski. The family lived in Fells Point, Maryland, where they attended Holy Rosary Parish. When he was eight years old, the family moved to Dundalk and the parish of the Sacred Heart of Mary, Graceland Park, Maryland, where he attended the parish elementary school. After graduating from Our Lady of Mt. Carmel High School (Essex), he received his undergraduate degree from the Catholic University of America before entering the Theological College at the Catholic University of America, where he received seminary training.
He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen on Nov. 24, 1984. He served for 20 years in several parishes in the archdiocese until 2004.
On July 3, 2004, Pope John Paul II appointed him Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He was ordained a bishop on Aug. 24, 2004, at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. At the time, he was the youngest bishop in the United States.
Pope Francis appointed him as bishop of the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts, on June 19, 2014. He was installed on Aug. 12, 2014, by Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap.
Archbishop Rozanski serves on the board of Cross Catholic Outreach and is the Roman Catholic co-chair of the Polish National Catholic/Roman Catholic Dialogue, a position he’s held since November 2017. He also serves on the Advisory Council of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains, the USCCB subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs and the National Catholic Partnership on Disability.
Archbishop Rozanski has served on the National Committee for the Protection of Youth and Young People, the National Advisory Council of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and the Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Committee of the USCCB. Archbishop Rozanski is a member of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, a Knight Commander of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Northeast Lieutenancy, and as episcopal moderator of the National Association of Holy Name Societies.
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel High, Essex
Catholic University of America, Washington
Seminary training at the Theological Seminary, Catholic University of America, Washington
November 24, 1984 Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Baltimore, Maryland
Episcopal Nomination, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore by Pope John Paul II July 3, 2004
Vicar General and Episcopal Vicar for Seton Vicariate of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland, August 24, 2004
Episcopal Ordination, Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, August 24, 2004, Baltimore, Maryland
Appointed as Bishop of Springfield, Massachusetts June 19, 2014 by Pope Francis
Installment as Bishop of Springfield, Massachusetts August 12, 2014, in the presence of Most Reverend Carlo Maria Vigano, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States by Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap.
Appointed as Archbishop for the Archdiocese of St. Louis by His Holiness Pope Francis 6/10/2020
Appointed Apostolic Administrator – Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts by His Holiness Pope Francis 6/10/2020 – 8/25/2020
Installed as Archbishop of St. Louis, Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis in the presence of Reverend Monsignor Dennis Kuruppassery, representative of the Apostolic Nuncio August 25, 2020
Parochial Vicar, 1984 Saint Michael, Overlea and Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Baltimore
Associate Pastor, Saint Anthony of Padua, 1985-1990, Baltimore, Maryland
Associate Pastor, Saint Isaac Jogues, 1990-March 1993, Baltimore, Maryland
Administrator, Holy Cross and St. Mary Star of the Sea, March 1993, Baltimore, Maryland
Pastor, Holy Cross and St. Mary Star of the Sea, 10/93-1/00, Baltimore, Maryland
Administrator, (Pro-tem) Immaculate Conception, Towson 1/00
Pastor, St. John, 11/28/00, Towson
National Committee for the Protection of Youth and Young People; 1/2007 – 6/2014
National Advisory Council, USCCB, March 1, 2012 – March 31, 2015
College of Consultors, Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland
National Committee for Protection of Youth and Young People, January 2007
Episcopal Moderator, National Association of Holy Name Societies 10/1/12 – 12/15/2021
Chair, Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Committee of USCCB, November 2014-2017
Advisory Council, National Assoc. of Catholic Chaplains
Audit Subcommittee of USCCB
National Association of Catholic Chaplains, Advisory Council
Christian Brothers College High School Board of Directors, 2022
Co-Chair, Polish National Church – Roman Catholic Dialogue
Knight Commander with Star of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Northern Lieutenancy.
Consultant, National Association of Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities
Polish National Catholic/Roman Catholic Dialogue, Co-Chair 2017-
National Catholic Partnership on Disability
USCCB – Ecumenical & Inter-religious Affairs Committee
Chair, Board of Governors, Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation 2020
Member, Knights of Malta, 2020
Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus
Board Chair, Board of Trustees, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
President and CEO, Board of Directors, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary, 2020
USCCB Episcopal Liaison, Catholic Health Association, 2020
Board Member, Roman Catholic Foundation of Eastern Missouri, 2020
Board of Directors, Cross Catholic Outreach, 2021
Episcopal Moderator, Institute for Theological Encounter with Science and Technology, 2021
Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary- Fr. Zimmerman Council 150, 2022
USCCB Subcommittee on Hispanic Affairs, 2021
USCCB V Encuentro Lead Bishop for Region IX of Hispanic Ministry, 2021
Leadership Roundtable, Bishop’s Advisory Committee, 2022
Leadership Roundtable, Bishop’s Advisory Committee, 2022
When an archbishop is appointed to lead an archdiocese, the coat of arms is composed of several key elements. the episcopal heraldic achievement, or, as it is more commonly known, the archbishop’s coat of arms, is composed of a shield with its charges (symbols) and the external ornaments. The shield, which is the central and most important feature of any heraldic device, is described (blazoned) in 12th-century terms that are archaic to our modern language, and this description is done as if being given by the bearer with the shield being worn on the arm. From the viewpoint of the one behind the armor, the sides or impalements of the shield are labeled dexter (right) and sinister (left). the next element of the coat of arms is the archbishop’s motto, which is traditionally written.
The great seal of the archdiocese of st. Louis (viewer’s left side) is an azure, blue, field with a gold crusader’s cross, and a crown representing Saint Louis IX, king of France, and patron of both the Archdiocese of St. Louis and the city of st. Louis. On the extremes of the cross are found the fleur-de-lis flower that recalls the french foundation of the city.
For his personal arms, his excellency Archbishop Rozanski has selected a design that is based on two major themes; his Polish heritage and his service to the archdiocese of Baltimore. In the upper portion of the design, in red and silver (white), the colors of the Polish national flag, are a cross bottony (each arm terminates in a triple ball), which is represented in red on silver, is a variant on the symbolism known as a “cross of st. Michael,” the archbishop’s baptismal patron. To the right of the cross (chief dexter) is a silver rose on a red field, drawing upon the significance that his excellency’s family name refers to “rose flower” in polish.
in base, on the alternating vertical bars of black and gold (yellow) with a red diagonal bar called a “bend,” is an open book of the most holy scriptures. these charges, drawn from the arms of the archdiocese of Baltimore, signify that his excellency’s ministry as a deacon, priest, and now as an archbishop is to spread god’s holy word to the faithful of the archdiocese. This symbolism joins well with the archbishop’s motto, which is taken from the 100th psalm, that in all that archbishop Rozanski is to do for the Lord, he is called to “Serve the Lord with gladness.”
The device is completed with the external ornaments which are a gold processional cross, which is placed in the back of the shield and which extends above and below the shield, and a pontifical hat, called a “Gallero,” with its six tassels, in three rows, on either side of the shield, all in green. these are the heraldic insignia of a prelate of the rank of archbishop by instruction of the holy see of March 31, 1969.