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You are invited to the Public Reception for Most Rev. Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R. on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Omni Providence Hotel. Click for all the details!

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—The Diocese of Providence announces that, with the support of Bishop-Designate Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., Reverend Monsignor Albert Kenney, Diocesan Administrator, has appointed Mr. William Klements, M.Ed. as Superintendent of Catholic Schools.

The Cathedral is at capacity for this special Mass, so we invite you to join us in watching the live stream of the Solemn Mass of Installation for Bishop Lewandowski! Watch here - https://provd.io/live

Join us in prayer as we give thanks to God for the election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV at Holy Mass in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence at Noon on Monday, May 12. Monsignor Anthony Mancini, Rector of the Cathedral, will be the principal celebrant. (Photo: Rick Snizek)

For some time now, Catholic Rhode Islanders have had the unique and unenviable experience of not only waiting for a new bishop, but also a new pope. Happily, the time of waiting has come to a close....

Gaudium magnum. Great joy. With those words of an age-old formula, a cardinal deacon of the Roman Catholic Church made an historic announcement: Habemus papam – we have a pope!

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service - VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, the Chicago-born prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under Pope Francis, was elected the 267th pope May 8 and took the name Pope Leo XIV.

The following clergy assignments have been announced by the Diocese of Providence.

By Jennifer Barton, Rhode Island Catholic Correspondent - ROME — Among the flock of 250,000 mourners at Pope Francis’ funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square, four priests from the Diocese of Providence managed to remain together to offer prayers for the repose of the pope’s soul. Fathers Marcel Taillon, Christopher Murphy, Joseph Brodeur and Mark Gadoury joined hundreds of fellow priests in concelebrating the Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, April 25. They reflected on the extraordinary and solemn occasion to the Rhode Island Catholic. (PHOTO COURTESY OF FATHER MARCEL TAILLON)

By RICK SNIZEK, Executive Editor - PROVIDENCE — The Most Reverend Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., Bishop-Designate of Providence, spoke glowingly of Pope Francis on the day of his appointment, April 8, which when paired with the simultaneous naming of Bishop W. Shawn McKnight as archbishop of Kansas City, Kansas, represents Pope Francis’ last American appointment.

Diocese of Providence to celebrate Holy Mass to Pray for Pope Francis this Friday, April 25, 2025 at Noon in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Providence. All are welcome!

By RICK SNIZEK, Executive Editor - PROVIDENCE — While most along the U.S. East Coast were still asleep at about 1:35 a.m. on Easter Monday, Pope Francis breathed his last, and the tectonic loss for the universal Catholic Church began to sweep around the globe. (PHOTO: RICK SNIZEK)

Statement from Most Reverend Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., Bishop-Designate of Providence, on the passing of the Holy Father, Pope Francis: “With his warm smile and familiar pastoral style, Pope Francis made us all feel part of a world-wide parish..."

“With heavy hearts the Roman Catholic Church in the Diocese of Providence mourns the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis..."

By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service - VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis has died April 21 at the age of 88. The pope died at 7:35 a.m. Rome time, U.S. Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, announced. Pope Francis gave new energy to millions of Catholics — and caused concern for some — as he transformed the image of the papacy into a pastoral ministry based on personal encounters and strong convictions about mission, poverty, immigration and dialogue. (OSV NEWS GRAPHIC/CHELSEA ALT)

Dozens of concelebrating priests and many deacons from across the diocese attend the Chrism Mass - Archbishop Richard G. Henning will be our celebrant and homilist. At this special Mass the priests of the diocese renew their priestly promises and the Bishop consecrates and blesses holy oils used in the sacramental rites of the church for the coming year. ASL Interpreter at Mass. All are welcome!

Save the Date! You are invited to the Holy Mass of Installation for Most Rev. Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., Tuesday, May 20 at 2 p.m. (procession to begin at 1:30 p.m.) in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Providence. More details to follow as well as full coverage in the Rhode Island Catholic. (Photos: Laura Kilgus)

Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., newly announced as the 10th Bishop of Providence, celebrated Holy Mass at Noon in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Providence, on the day of his appointment. Archbishop Richard G. Henning and Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, Bishops Emeriti of Providence, and former Providence Auxiliary Bishop Robert C. Evans, concelebrated the Mass along with Monsignor Albert Kenney, Diocesan Administrator, along with other priests.

We invite you to watch the April 8, 2025 10 a.m. Press Conference welcoming Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R. from the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence, Rhode Island. "It is with great joy we share that the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has appointed His Excellency, the Most Reverend Bruce Alan Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., as the tenth Bishop of Providence. Bishop Lewandowski is currently Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore where he serves as Vicar for Hispanic Catholics and Vicar for Baltimore City. The change was announced today in Washington, D.C. by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States."

Most Rev. Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R. to be installed May 20 in the Cathedral of Saints Peter & Paul (PHOTO: LAURA KILGUS)