Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Bishop Robert Deeley of Diocese of Portland, Maine, and Appoints Fr. James Ruggieri as its New Bishop

Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Bishop Robert Deeley of Diocese of Portland; Appoints Rev. James Ruggieri as Successor

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Robert P. Deeley, 77, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Portland, and has appointed Reverend James T. Ruggieri, as Bishop-elect of Portland. Bishop-elect Ruggieri is a priest of the Diocese of Providence, and currently serves as pastor at St. Patrick’s parish and St. Michael’s parish in Providence, Rhode Island.

February 13, 2024
WASHINGTON - Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop Robert P. Deeley, 77, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Portland, and has appointed Reverend James T. Ruggieri, as Bishop-elect of Portland. Bishop-elect Ruggieri is a priest of the Diocese of Providence, and currently serves as pastor at St. Patrick’s parish and St. Michael’s parish in Providence, Rhode Island. The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington, D.C. on February 13, 2024, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The following biographical information for Bishop-elect Ruggieri was drawn from preliminary materials provided to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:

Father Ruggieri was born January 12, 1968, in Providence, Rhode Island. He attended public schools in Barrington, Rhode Island, followed by studies at Holy Cross and Providence College (1986-1990) and received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy while attending Our Lady of Providence Seminary. He received a master’s in divinity and a bachelor’s in sacred theology from St. Mary Seminary and University (1990-1995) in Baltimore, Maryland. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Providence on June 24, 1995.

Bishop-elect Ruggieri’s assignments after ordination include: parochial vicar at St. Matthew parish in Cranston (1995-1998), St. Aloysius, St. Ann, and Our Lady of Victories parishes in Woonsocket (1998-2001), and Holy Spirit Catholic Community in Central Falls (2001-2003), and as administrator of St. Casimir parish in Providence (2004-2011), and St. John the Baptist parish in Pawtucket (2005-2006). He was named pastor of St. Patrick parish in 2003, and in 2020 was named pastor of St. Michael’s parish, both in Providence, where he currently serves.

Bishop-elect Ruggieri’s additional responsibilities for the Diocese of Providence have included serving as vicar forane for Providence Central City (2006-2009), and a member of the diocesan council of priests (2008-2011) and the priests’ personnel board (2013-2014). He speaks English and Spanish.

The Diocese of Portland is comprised of 35,385 square miles in the state of Maine and has a total population of 1,362,357, of which 286,095 are Catholic.

USCCB Press Release