Kevin Carl Rhoades is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelateA prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the
Roman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He is the ninth
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South BendThe Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is a Roman Catholic diocese in north-central and northeastern Indiana. The Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades was appointed diocesan bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on November 14, 2009, and was installed on January 13, 2010...
, having served as
Bishop of HarrisburgThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg covers 15 counties of South Central Pennsylvania: Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York. The seat of the bishop is in St...
from 2004 to 2009.
Early life
Rhoades was born in
Mahanoy City, PennsylvaniaMahanoy City is a borough located north by west of Reading and 13 miles southwest of Hazleton, in northern Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania or the southern Coal Region. The name "Mahanoy" is believed to be a variation of the Native American word 'Maghonioy', or "the salt deposits"...
, to Charles and Mary Rhoades. The second of three children, he has an older brother, Charles, and a younger sister, Robin. His father was the cousin of
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
state Senator
James J. RhoadesJames J. Rhoades was a Republican member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who represented the 29th District from 1980 until his death....
.
Raised in
Lebanon, Pa.Lebanon, formerly known as Steitztown, is a city in and the county seat of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,477 at the 2010 census, a 4.2% increase from the 2000 count of 24,461...
, Rhoades graduated from
Lebanon Catholic High SchoolLebanon Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg.-Background:...
in 1975 and then studied at Mount St. Mary's University in
Emmitsburg, Maryland-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,290 people, 811 households, and 553 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,992.9 people per square mile . There were 862 housing units at an average density of 750.2 per square mile...
, for two years. He applied to the
Diocese of HarrisburgThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg covers 15 counties of South Central Pennsylvania: Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York. The seat of the bishop is in St...
for enrollment in the program of priestly formation, and in 1977 entered
St. Charles Borromeo SeminarySt. Charles Borromeo Seminary is the seminary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Named for Charles Borromeo, it is located in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania,...
("Overbrook"), in
Wynnewood, Pa.Wynnewood, Pennsylvania is a suburban community located outside of Philadelphia in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania and Haverford Township, Pennsylvania, United States. Wynnewood was named in 1691 for Dr. Thomas Wynne, William Penn's physician and the first Speaker of the Pennsylvania General...
, where he earned his
Bachelor's degree in PhilosophyBachelor of Philosophy is the title of an academic degree. The degree usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects...
in 1979.
From 1979 to 1983, Rhoades studied
theologyTheology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the
Pontifical North American CollegeThe Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
and the
Pontifical Gregorian UniversityThe Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
in
RomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he obtained his
Bachelor of Sacred TheologyThe Bachelor of Sacred Theology is a graduate-level academic degree in theology.The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is offered by a number of Pontifical Universities. It is sometimes offered as a graduate degree, for students who have already completed a B.A. or other first degree...
degree. He also studied Spanish at the
Pontifical University of SalamancaThe Pontifical University of Salamanca is a private, catholic university, located in Salamanca, Spain, and campus in Salamanca and Madrid.- History :...
in
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
during the summer of 1982. His Eminence, the Most Reverend Terence Cardinal Cooke, then the Cardinal Archbishop of New York,
ordainedThe term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
him a
deaconDeacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
at St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, in 1982.
Priesthood
Rhoades was ordained to the
priesthoodThe ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
by His Excellency, the Most Reverend
Bishop William KeelerWilliam Henry Keeler is an American Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Baltimore from 1989 to 2007 and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1994....
(later, Cardinal) on July 9, 1983, and then served as
parochial vicarA curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at
St. Patrick Church in
YorkYork, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
until 1985. During this time, he also ministered in the Spanish-speaking apostolates at Cristo Salvador Church in York and Cristo Rey Mission in
BendersvilleBendersville is a borough in Adams County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 641 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Bendersville is located at ....
. In 1985, he returned to the Gregorian in Rome, earning a
Licentiate of Sacred TheologyLicentiate of Sacred Theology is the title of the second cycle of studies of a Faculty of Theology offered by a pontifical universities or ecclesiastical faculties of sacred theology. An Ecclesiastical Faculty offers three cycles of study: Baccalaureate or fundamentals, Licentiate or specialized,...
(S.T.L.) in 1986 and a
Licentiate of Canon LawLicentiate of Canon Law is the title of an advanced graduate degree with canonical effects in the Roman Catholic Church offered by pontifical universities and ecclesiastical faculties of canon law...
(J.C.L.) in 1988.
Upon his return to the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Rhoades was named assistant
chancellorTwo quite distinct officials of some Christian churches have the title Chancellor.*In some churches, the Chancellor of a diocese is a lawyer who represents the church in legal matters....
to Bishop Keeler. He also served as director of the Spanish apostolate in
DauphinDauphin County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of the three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 census, the population was 268,100. The county includes the city of Harrisburg, which has served as the state capital...
,
CumberlandCumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is one of three counties comprising the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 235,406.-History:...
, and
Perry countiesAs of the census of 2000, there were 43,602 people, 16,695 households, and 12,320 families residing in the county. The population density was 79 people per square mile . There were 18,941 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
. Rhoades was
pastorThe word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of Saint Francis of Assisi Church in Harrisburg from 1990 to 1995, whence he became a
professorA professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, Md. He taught courses in
systematic theologyIn the context of Christianity, systematic theology is a discipline of Christian theology that attempts to formulate an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs...
,
canon lawThe canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
, and
HispanicHispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
ministry, and rose to the position of
rectorThe word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
in July 1997.
Bishop of Harrisburg
On October 14, 2004, Rhoades was appointed the ninth
Bishop of HarrisburgThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg covers 15 counties of South Central Pennsylvania: Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union and York. The seat of the bishop is in St...
by Blessed Pope John Paul II. He received his
episcopal consecrationIn the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following December 9 from His Eminence, the Most Reverend Justin Cardinal Rigali (
metropolitan archbishop of the Province of Philadelphia), with Cardinal Keeler and Bishop
Thomas OlmstedThomas Olmsted is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the fourth and current Bishop of Phoenix, having previously served as Bishop of Wichita from 2001 to 2003.-Early life:...
serving as
co-consecratorsConsecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
. He selected as his episcopal
mottoA motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
:
Veritatem In Caritate, meaning, "Truth in Charity" .
Within the
United States Conference of Catholic BishopsThe United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
(USCCB), Rhoades is a member of the
Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, the
Committee on Pastoral Practices, and the
Subcommittee on the Catechism. He chairs the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth.
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend
On November 14, 2009, Rhoades was appointed the ninth
Bishop of Fort Wayne-South BendThe Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is a Roman Catholic diocese in north-central and northeastern Indiana. The Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades was appointed diocesan bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on November 14, 2009, and was installed on January 13, 2010...
,
IndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, by
Pope Benedict XVIBenedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, succeeding longtime Bishop John Michael D'Arcy. His installation took place on January 13, 2010.
In 2011, he became the first bishop to grant an
imprimaturAn imprimatur is, in the proper sense, a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement.-Catholic Church:...
to an iPhone application.
External links