Mitchell T. Rozanski
Encyclopedia
Mitchell Thomas Rozanski (born August 6, 1958) is an American
prelate
of the Roman Catholic Church
. He currently serves as an auxiliary bishop
of the Archdiocese of Baltimore
. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
announced on April 18, 2011, that he would be named to succeed His Excellency, Most Reverend Edward U. Kmiec
, the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo
, New York, as incoming Roman Catholic Co-Chairman of the Polish National Catholic-Roman Catholic dialogue, due to Bishop Kmiec's impending retirement. He was named to the post by His Excellency, Most Reverend Wilton Daniel Gregory, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
, Georgia, and Chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.
. He is of Polish descent
and his surname means in Polish
rose flower. He attended Sacred Heart of Mary School in Dundalk
, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel High School
in Essex
, and the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
before entering the Theological College at the Catholic University, where he received seminary
training. He was ordained
to the priesthood
by Archbishop William Borders
on November 24, 1984.
His parish
assignments included appointments at St. Michael Church in Overlea
in 1984 and the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
in 1985. He was appointed Associate Pastor
at St. Anthony Church in Baltimore in 1985 and at St. Isaac Jogues Church in the same city in 1990. He was named administrator of Holy Cross Church and of St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in Baltimore in March 1993, before being appointed pastor
there in the following October. In January 2000, he was appointed temporary administrator of Immaculate Conception Church in Towson
and in June of that year he assumed the same duties for St. John the Evangelist Church in Severna Park
, where he was named pastor on November 28, 2000.
On July 3, 2004, Rozanski was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
of Baltimore
and Titular Bishop
of Walla Walla
by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following August 24 from William Cardinal Keeler
, with Bishops William Newman
and W. Francis Malooly
serving as co-consecrators
. He selected as his episcopal motto
: "Serve The Lord With Gladness."
As an auxiliary bishop, Rozanski also serves as Vicar for Hispanic Ministries and as Seton Vicar, in which position he administers to the parishes in Anne Arundel
, Howard, Carroll, Frederick, Washington, Allegheny, and Garrett Counties.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prelate
Prelate
A 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 Church
Roman Catholic Church
The 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 currently serves as an auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Archdiocese of Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The 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...
announced on April 18, 2011, that he would be named to succeed His Excellency, Most Reverend Edward U. Kmiec
Edward U. Kmiec
Edward Urban Kmiec is the thirteenth and current Roman Catholic Bishop of Buffalo. Kmiec served as Auxiliary Bishop of Diocese of Trenton from 1982 until his installation as Bishop of Nashville in 1992...
, the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo
The Diocese of Buffalo is a Catholic diocese headquartered in Buffalo, New York, USA. The current Bishop is the Most Rev. Edward U. Kmiec.The Diocese of Buffalo was established 23 April 1847. It consists of Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, Chautauqua, Wyoming, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties...
, New York, as incoming Roman Catholic Co-Chairman of the Polish National Catholic-Roman Catholic dialogue, due to Bishop Kmiec's impending retirement. He was named to the post by His Excellency, Most Reverend Wilton Daniel Gregory, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southeastern United States. It is composed of the northern counties of the state of Georgia and is led by a prelate archbishop, who is also pastor of the mother church, the...
, Georgia, and Chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.
Biography
Mitchell Rozanski was born in Baltimore, MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. He is of Polish descent
Polish American
A Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million Polish Americans, representing about 3.2% of the population of the United States...
and his surname means in Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
rose flower. He attended Sacred Heart of Mary School in Dundalk
Dundalk, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,306 people, 24,772 households, and 16,968 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,689.5 people per square mile . There were 26,385 housing units at an average density of 1,985.9 per square mile...
, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel High School
Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School (Baltimore, Maryland)
Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School is a Roman Catholic-high school in Essex, Baltimore County, Maryland. It is in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore. The school was established in 1959 to serve the students of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish and surrounding parishes. As of 2007, the...
in Essex
Essex, Maryland
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 39,078 people, 15,952 households, and 10,336 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,104.1 people per square mile . There were 16,997 housing units at an average density of 1,785.1 per square mile...
, and the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
before entering the Theological College at the Catholic University, where he received seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
training. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The 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 Archbishop William Borders
William Donald Borders
William Donald Borders was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the 13th Archbishop of Baltimore from 1974 to 1989, having previously served as the first Bishop of Orlando from 1968 to 1974...
on November 24, 1984.
His parish
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
assignments included appointments at St. Michael Church in Overlea
Overlea, Maryland
Overlea is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,148 at the 2000 census. Students attend Overlea High School. Area roads include Belair Road and Kenwood Avenue. Contrary to most local residents believe,...
in 1984 and the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
The Cathedral of Mary Our Queen is a cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church located at 5200 North Charles Street, in northern Baltimore, Maryland....
in 1985. He was appointed Associate Pastor
Curate
A 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. Anthony Church in Baltimore in 1985 and at St. Isaac Jogues Church in the same city in 1990. He was named administrator of Holy Cross Church and of St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in Baltimore in March 1993, before being appointed pastor
Pastor
The 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"....
there in the following October. In January 2000, he was appointed temporary administrator of Immaculate Conception Church in Towson
Towson, Maryland
Towson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 55,197 at the 2010 census...
and in June of that year he assumed the same duties for St. John the Evangelist Church in Severna Park
Severna Park, Maryland
Severna Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 28,507 at the 2000 census.-History:Robinson House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.-Geography:...
, where he was named pastor on November 28, 2000.
On July 3, 2004, Rozanski was appointed Auxiliary Bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Walla Walla
Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In 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 August 24 from William Cardinal Keeler
William Henry Keeler
William 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....
, with Bishops William Newman
William Clifford Newman
William Clifford Newman is an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore from 1984 to 2003.-Biography:...
and W. Francis Malooly
William Francis Malooly
William Francis Malooly is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, who currently serves as the Bishop of Wilmington.-Biography:...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
Consecrator 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 motto
Motto
A 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...
: "Serve The Lord With Gladness."
As an auxiliary bishop, Rozanski also serves as Vicar for Hispanic Ministries and as Seton Vicar, in which position he administers to the parishes in Anne Arundel
Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is named for Anne Arundell , a member of the ancient family of Arundells in Cornwall, England and the wife of Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore. Its county seat is Annapolis, which is also the capital of the state...
, Howard, Carroll, Frederick, Washington, Allegheny, and Garrett Counties.