The Most Reverend Mitchell Thomas Rozanski was born in Baltimore, Maryland on August 6, 1958. A Baltimore native of Polish-American descent, he lived with his family in Fells Point, MD where they attended Holy Rosary Parish.

He is the oldest of three sons born to Alfred and Jean Rozanski, both still living. 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.

When he was 8 years old, the family moved to Dundalk and the parish of the Sacred Heart of Mary, Graceland Park, where he attended the elementary school. He is a graduate of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel High School (Essex), 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 November 24, 1984. He served as an associate pastor at St. Michael, Overlea in 1984 and then the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. He was appointed associate pastor at St. Anthony of Padua, Baltimore in 1985 and St. Isaac Jogues, Baltimore in 1990. He was appointed administrator of Holy Cross and St. Mary Star of the Sea parishes in Baltimore in March 1993, before being appointed pastor there in October. In January 2000 he was appointed temporary administrator of Immaculate Conception, Towson and in June assumed the same duties at St. John before being named its pastor on November 28, 2000.

On July 3, 2004 he was named by Pope John Paul II as auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and was ordained on August 24, 2004 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. Upon his ordination as bishop he was named vicar general and episcopal vicar for the Seton Vicariate of the Archdiocese.

He also served on the College of Consultors for the Archdiocese and as the Vicar for Hispanics. At the time of his ordination as a bishop in 2004, he was the youngest bishop in the United States.

Bishop Rozanski serves as the Roman Catholic Co-Chair of the Polish National Catholic/Roman Catholic Dialogue since November 2017.  Since October 1, 2012 he has served as the Episcopal Moderator of the National Association of Holy Name Societies. He also serves on the Advisory Council of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains, and the National Catholic Partnership on Disability.

Bishop Rozanski served on the National Committee for the Protection of Youth and Young People from January 2007 until June 2014.  From 2012 until March, 2015, Bishop served on the National Advisory Council of the USCCB for a 3 year term. He also served on and chaired the Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Committee of the USCCB,

Bishop 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.

Bishop Rozanski has served as bishop for the Diocese of Springfield, a position he was appointed to on June 19, 2014 by Pope Francis. He was installed on August 12, 2014, by Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap.

On June 10, 2020 Pope Francis named him as the 10th archbishop for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri with his installation Mass planned for August 25, 2020.

Coat of Arms

Significance

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 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 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, that 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 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.

Current Position

Archbishop of St. Louis, Installed as Archbishop of St. Louis, August 25, 2020

BORN: On August 6, 1958 in Baltimore, Maryland.

RAISED: Fells Point, MD, attended Holy Rosary Parish.

PARENTS: Alfred and Jean Rozanski, both deceased.

FAMILY: Two brothers: Kenneth and wife Lisa have 2 daughters and a son; Albert and wife Danielle have one son.

EDUCATION: Sacred Heart of Mary, Graceland Park, elementary school, Dundalk, MD. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel High School (Essex). Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C (seminary training at the Theological College).

PRIESTLY ORDINATION: by Archbishop William Donald Borders for the Archdiocese of Baltimore at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen on November 24, 1984.

EPISCOPAL NOMINATION: as Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and Titular Bishop of Walla Walla by Pope John Paul II on July 3, 2004.

EPISCOPAL ORDINATION: by William Cardinal Keeler, Bishop William Newman and Bishop W. Francis Maloony on August 24, 2004 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen.

APPOINTED BISHOP OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS: by Pope Francis on June 19, 2014.

INSTALLED AS BISHOP OF SPRINGFIELD: by Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM Cap. on August 12, 2014.

APPOINTED AS 10^th ARCHBISHOP OF ST. LOUIS: by Pope Francis June 10, 2020.

Previous Positions in the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Regular: 1984: Associate Pastor at St. Michael Overlea, and then the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen,

Baltimore

1985: Associate Pastor at St. Anthony of Padua, Baltimore

1990: Associate Pastor at St. Isaac Jogues, Baltimore

1993: in March, Administrator of Holy Cross and St. Mary Star of the Sea parishes in Baltimore, and in

October, appointed Pastor.

2000: Temporary Administrator of Immaculate Conception, Towson; in June, Temporary Administrator

of St. John the Evangelist Church in Severna Park, and named Pastor on November 28.

2004: Vicar General and Episcopal Vicar for the Seton Vicariate of the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Special: Vicar for Hispanics, Seton Vicar, and served on the College of Consultors for the Archdiocese

while auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore.

Member of the National Committee for the Protection of Youth and Young People since January 2007.

Episcopal Moderator of the National Association of Holy Name Societies, Oct. 1, 2012 – Sept. 30, 2017.

Served on the National Advisory Council of the USCCB for a 3 year term through March 2015.

Chair of the Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Committee of the USCCB since November 2013.

Serves on the Advisory Council of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains.

Liaison with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Co-chair for the Polish National Church – Roman Catholic Dialogue.

Audit Subcommittee of USCCB member.

Knight Commander of the Royal Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
Consultant to the National Association for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities.

To send Archbishop Rozanski a message, please contact [email protected]. 

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