James Patrick Powers (born February 6, 1953) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as the bishop of the Diocese of Superior in Wisconsin since 2016.


James Patrick Powers
Bishop of Superior
ChurchCatholic Church
DioceseSuperior
AppointedDecember 15, 2015
InstalledFebruary 18, 2016
PredecessorPeter F. Christensen
Orders
OrdinationMay 20, 1990
by Raphael Michael Fliss
ConsecrationFebruary 18, 2016
by Jerome E. Listecki, Peter F. Christensen, and Paul D. Etienne
Personal details
Born
James Patrick Powers

(1953-02-06) February 6, 1953 (age 71)
DenominationCatholic Church
MottoDeduc me, Domine, luce tua
(Lead me, Lord, in your light)
Styles of
James Patrick Powers
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Biography

edit

Early life

edit

James Powers was born in Baldwin, Wisconsin, on February 6, 1953. His parents, Thomas and Frances Roberta (Bobbie) Powers, ran a farm in Hammond, Wisconsin. James Powers had six siblings. He attended grade school and St. Croix Central High School in Hammond.[1]

After his high school graduation, Powers attended Holy Redeemer College in Waterford, Wisconsin, the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and St. John Vianney Seminary in St. Paul where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology.[1] He then attended Saint Paul Seminary in Minnesota for his Master of Divinity.

Priesthood

edit

Powers was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Superior on May 20, 1990, at Immaculate Conception Church in Hammond by Bishop Raphael Michael Fliss. After his ordination, the diocese assigned Powers to positions in the following Wisconsin parishes:

  • Associate pastor of St. Joseph in Rice Lake (1990 to 1993)
  • Parochial administrator of St. Bridget in River Falls, of St. John the Baptist in Webster, Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Crescent Lake and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Danbury (1993 to 1994)
  • Pastor of St. Bridget in River Falls[1][2]

In 1996, Powers left St. Bridget to enter Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Canada, where he was awarded his Licentiate of Canon Law.[1] Returning to Wisconsin in 1998, he served as pastor of the following three parishes:

Powers then served as pastor of St. Joseph for 11 years. At the end of this period, three other parishes were clustered with St. Joseph, with Powers as pastor of the cluster.[1] Powers also served as spiritual director for Teens Encounter Christ (TEC), as a member of the St. Pius priest fund board and a member of the priest personnel placement board and the presbyteral council.  In 1998, Bishop Raphael Michael Fliss appointed Powers as adjutant judicial vicar and in 2010 as vicar general.[1]

Bishop of Superior

edit

Powers was appointed by Pope Francis as bishop of Superior on December 15, 2015. He was consecrated on February 18, 2016, at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior, Wisconsin, by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki, with Bishop Peter F. Christensen and Archbishop Paul D. Etienne serving as co-consecrators.[3][4][5][6]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f "Bishop James Powers". Diocese of Superior. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
  2. ^ a b "Pope Names Wisconsin Priest as Bishop of Superior". US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
  3. ^ "Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel". www.jsonline.com. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  4. ^ "Popes appoints priest of Diocese of Superior to be its bishop". Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  5. ^ Vatican names new Bishop for Diocese of Superior
  6. ^ Pope Names Wisconsin Priest As Bishop Of Superior
edit
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Superior
2016–Present
Succeeded by
Incumbent