Most Reverend Mitchell Thomas Rozanski

10^th Archbishop of St. Louis

Curriculum Vitae

Born:             

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.

Biography:

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.

Education:    

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel High, Essex

Catholic University of America, Washington

Seminary training at the Theological Seminary, Catholic University of America, Washington

Priestly Ordination:

November 24, 1984 Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Baltimore, Maryland

Personal:

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, June 19, 2014 by Pope Francis

Installment as Bishop of Springfield, 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 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

Previous Positions:

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

Current Positions:

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

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 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.

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

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