All posts by Andrea Perry

BISHOP EMERITUS HOWARD J. HUBBARD

Diocese of Albany

The Most Rev. Howard J. Hubbard was born October 31, 1938, in Troy, N.Y. He attended St. Patrick’s School and La Salle Institute, both in Troy, and entered Mater Christi Minor Seminary in Albany in 1956. He furthered his studies at St. Joseph’s Seminary, Dunwoodie, where he earned his college degree in philosophy. He continued his studies for the priesthood at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome and was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Albany on December 18, 1963, at the Church of St. Ignatius in Rome. He later did post graduate studies in social services at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

During his early priesthood, then-Father Hubbard served as Associate Pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Schenectady and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany, as well as serving as chaplain for the Kenwood Convent of the Sacred Heart in Albany. He was known as a ‘street priest’ who walked the South End finding apartments for people with no place to go, collecting food donations for the hungry, and driving people with addictions to detox. During that time, he founded Providence House and Hope House, one a storefront crisis intervention center, and the other a residential recovery program for adults and teens struggling with addictions. He served as the founding president of LIVCORP, a program providing group homes for those with developmental disabilities and was president of Albany’s Urban League. He also served on numerous diocesan committees and boards, including the Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. He was Vicar General of the Diocese of Albany from 1976 to 1977, and during that same time was elected by the Board of Consultors as administrator of the Diocese.

On February 1, 1977, he was appointed as the ninth Bishop of Albany by Pope Paul VI, making him the youngest bishop in the United States at that time; he was 38 years old. He was ordained to the episcopacy on March 27, 1977, at Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y.

During his tenure as Bishop of Albany, he was appointed to numerous committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, including Chair of committees on Human Values, and Marriage and the Family Life, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and International Justice and Peace. In 1983, he was appointed to the Vatican’s Secretariat for Non-Believers by Pope John Paul II. Over the course of his episcopacy, Bishop Hubbard authored two pastoral letters — “We are His People” and “We are God’s Priestly People” and wrote two books, Bread Broken and Fulfilling the Vision. His lifelong commitment to serving the poor and vulnerable and those on the margins of society are evidenced by his many efforts on their behalf. He served as president of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty, sued to prevent an abortion clinic from opening in Albany, and led a historic Palm Sunday reconciliation service between Christians and Jews in 1986. He also served as Episcopal Liason to the Catholic Aids Network and the National Council for Pastoral Planning and Council Development. During the entire length of his time as Bishop of Albany, he served as chairman of the Public Policy Committee of the New York State Catholic Conference, and as a member of the Conference’s Executive Committee.

Bishop Hubbard submitted his letter of resignation to Pope Francis when he reached the age of 75, as required, and on February 11, 2014, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had accepted his resignation. At the time of his retirement, Bishop Hubbard’s 37 years as Bishop marked the longest tenure of any Bishop in the history of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.

As Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Albany, he continues to be a voice for the poor, an advocate for justice, and a pastoral presence.

BISHOP EDWARD B. SCHARFENBERGER

Diocese of Albany

“Lord, make me a channel of your peace.”

The Most Rev. Edward B. Scharfenberger was born May 29, 1948, in Brooklyn, N.Y. He attended Catholic schools and graduated in 1969 with a degree in English from Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception in Douglaston, N.Y. He went on to study at North American College in Rome and earned a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology from Pontifical Gregorian University in 1972. He was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn on July 2, 1973, in St. Peter’s Basilica by then-Bishop James A. Hickey, who later became Cardinal-Archbishop of Washington, D.C.

Bishop Scharfenberger served as parochial vicar at St. Stanislaus Parish in Maspeth (Queens) and St. Ephrem Parish in Dyker Heights (Kings) before returning to Rome to continue his studies. He earned a licentiate in sacred theology from the Academy of St. Alphonsus in 1977, a licentiate in Canon Law from Catholic University of America in 1980, a Juris Doctor of Law degree from Fordham University in 1990, and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1991. He was named a Prelate of Honor (monsignor) in 1995.

Bishop Scharfenberger served as Judicial Vicar for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn from 1993 to 2002 and as pastor of St. Matthias Church in Ridgewood (Queens) from 2003 to 2014. While serving as pastor of St. Matthias, he also taught moral theology at the Diocesan Pastoral Institute in Brooklyn and was an adjunct professor at St. Joseph’s College, also in Brooklyn. He also served as Promoter of Justice for the Brooklyn Diocese and was a member of the Diocesan Review Board for Sexual Abuse of Minors; as Vicar for Strategic Planning; and as Episcopal Vicar for the borough of Queens.

On February 11, 2014, he was named by Pope Francis as the tenth Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, succeeding the Most Rev. Howard J. Hubbard. He was ordained to the episcopacy on April 10, 2014, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York. For his Episcopal Motto, Bishop Scharfenberger chose a line from the Prayer of St. Francis: “Lord, make me a channel of your peace.”

Mary Uhler

Uncategorized

Mary Uhler has been editor of the Catholic Herald-Diocese of Madison in Wisconsin since 1986.  She joined the diocesan newspaper’s staff in 1973 and was the news editor and associate editor before assuming the position of editor. The Madison paper is part of the Wisconsin Catholic Media Apostolate, which also publishes diocesan newspapers in Milwaukee and Superior.

During her years at the Catholic Herald, Mary has won numerous awards from the Catholic Press Association, including awards for editorials she has written on local and national/international issues. She is especially proud of earning several General Excellence awards for the paper. She has been involved in a number of CPA committees over the years, including serving on the CPA-CNS Liaison Committee, Awards Committee, External Communications Committee, Bylaws Committee, and the CPA National Planning Committee.

She received the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice from St. John Paul II and is a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Madison presented her with a Leadership Award in 2015 for her involvement in church and community activities.

She holds a master’s degree in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is married and has two children and three grandchildren.

Margarita Mendoza

Uncategorized

Margarita Mendoza serves the Diocese of Rockford as translator and editor for El Observador Newspaper.

Margarita is also the director of the Latino Film Festival Elgin and an author of volume four of Today’s Inspired Latina.

She has studied Social Communication, Journalism and  Organizational Communication.

Born in Colombia and married to Enrique, they are proud parents of three daughters.

Tim Williams

Uncategorized

Tim Williams is a native of Savannah Georgia. After developing a passion for photographer and photojournalism he began working at Savannah’s CBS affiliate, WTOC-TV out of high school. First as a News Production Assistant, than a Videojournalist, and for the last 7 of his 10 years with them as a Commercial and Marketing Videographer. During his time with WTOC he was responsible for newscast production, shooting and editing news stories, producing local and regional TV commercials, long-form videos and documentary pieces, and multi-cam live TV shows in the field such as parades and specials. In January of 2016 he began working for the Diocese of Savannah’s Communications Department where he oversaw the installation and operation of a multi-cam video system in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, as well as producing video projects around the 90 county Diocese in south Georgia. When not traveling and working around the Diocese, Tim enjoys still photography, as well as camping and hiking.

Penny Wiegert

Uncategorized

Penny has been on staff at The Observer since 1986 and editor since 2002. She and her husband Russell have four grown children. She is an active member of St. Mary Parish in Pecatonica where she is a lector and Eucharistic Minister.

Penny is an active member of the Northern Illinois Newspaper Association and is Past President of the Catholic Press Association for the United States and Canada. In her spare time, she and her entire family enjoy participating in community theatre.

The Observer provides Penny with the opportunity to enjoy two passions … the Catholic faith and newspapering.

Cardinal Rigali

Diocese of Knoxville

Cardinal Justin Rigali was born in Los Angeles, California on April 19, 1935, the son of Henry Alphonses Rigali and Frances Irene White and the last of seven children.

Family members: Sister Charlotte Rigali, CSJ (deceased), Henry Anthony Rigali (deceased), Philip Rigali (deceased), Paul J. Rigali (deceased), Clare Rigali (deceased), Rev. Norbert J. Rigali, SJ (Los Gatos, CA)

He was baptized in Holy Cross Parish and attended Holy Cross and Transfiguration Grammar Schools in Los Angeles.

He studied in the archdiocesan seminaries: Los Angeles College (Los Angeles), Our Lady Queen of Angels Seminary (San Fernando) and St. John’s Seminary (Camarillo).

He was ordained a priest by Cardinal James Francis McIntyre in the Cathedral of St. Vibiana in Los Angeles on April 25, 1961.

Immediately after ordination to the priesthood, he was temporarily assigned as associate pastor at Ascension Parish (Los Angeles) and then at St. Raymond’s Parish (Downey).

In October 1961 he began graduate studies in Canon Law in Rome at the Pontifical Gregorian University.

During the first two sessions of the Second Vatican Council, he was one of the priest assistants in St. Peter’s Basilica.

In June 1964 he attained the Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

During the summer of 1964 he served as associate pastor at St. Madeleine’s Parish in Pomona (Archdiocese of Los Angeles).

From 1964 to 1966 he followed the course of studies at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in preparation for service to the Holy See. On Nov. 25, 1964, he entered the English-language department of the Secretariat of State.

From September 1966 to February 1970 he served at the Apostolic Nunciature in Madagascar, which was also the Apostolic Delegation for the Islands of the Indian Ocean, La Réunion, and Mauritius.

He was named a Papal Chamberlain on July 11, 1967.

He returned to Rome on Feb. 11, 1970, and was appointed Director of the English-language Section of the Secretariat of State. At the same time he became the English-language translator for Pope Paul VI, whom he accompanied on his international journey to Iran, Dhaka (then East Pakistan), the Philippines, Australia, Samoa, American Samoa, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon).

During the years 1970–1985 he lived at the Villa Stritch (the residence set up by the American bishops for U.S. diocesan priests working in the Roman Curia), and for a number of those years he was Chaplain to the Cloistered Carmelite Nuns at the Monastery of St. Joseph in Rome.

During the years 1972–1973 he was a Professor at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.

Between the years 1979–1987 he accompanied Pope John Paul II on a number of his international journeys, including his two major journeys to the United States (1979, 1987).

He was made a Prelate of Honor of His Holiness on April 19, 1980.

He became a magistral chaplain in the Order of the Knights of Malta on Oct. 25, 1984 and on May 23, 2008 he received the Order’s Bailiff Grand Cross of Honor and Devotion.

On June 8, 1985, he was appointed Titular Archbishop of Bolsena and President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.

On September 14, 1985, he was ordained a bishop by Pope John Paul II in the Cathedral of Albano.

On October 13, 1986, he became a member of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre.

From 1985 to 1990, in addition to being President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, he held a number of positions at the Vatican, serving the Secretariat of State, the Council for Public Affairs of the Church, the Congregation for Bishops and the Pontifical Council for the Laity. On December 21, 1989, he was named Secretary of the Congregation for Bishops, and on January 2, 1990, he became the Secretary of the College of Cardinals. He was likewise a member of the Permanent Interdicasterial Commission of the Holy See and served as a consultant to the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

In addition to his work in the offices of the Roman Curia, Archbishop Rigali was engaged in other pastoral activities, assisting a number of parishes and seminaries of Rome.

On January 25, 1994, Archbishop Rigali was appointed eighth Bishop/seventh Archbishop of St. Louis by Pope John Paul II.

Archbishop Rigali was installed as Archbishop of St. Louis on March 15, 1994, by His Eminence Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, in the presence of Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the United States.

On June 29, 1994, Archbishop Rigali received the pallium as Archbishop of St. Louis.

On November 7, 1994, he became a member of the Knights of Columbus.

He is the Chairman of the Iconography Committee of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Shrine.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Catholic Bioethics Center.

He is Episcopal Liaison for the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious.

On June 12, 1995, Archbishop Rigali was appointed by Pope John Paul II to the Preparatory Council of the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for America.

He was later elected as a delegate of the U.S. Bishops to the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for America, with the theme: “Encounter with the Living Jesus Christ: the Way to Conversion, Communion and Solidarity in America.” (November–December 1997)

On January 26–27, 1999, he hosted the Pastoral Visit of Pope John Paul II to St. Louis.

In 2001 he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as a member of the 10th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, with theme: “The Bishop: Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope of the World.”

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Rigali a member of the Vatican Congregation for Bishops on September 26, 2007. At present he is a member of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and a member of the Congregation’s Vox Clara Committee.

Cardinal Rigali formerly chaired the Committee for Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He currently is a consultant of the Conference’s Subcommittee on Aid to the Catholic Church in Central and Eastern Europe. He serves also as a member of the Committee on Divine Worship and the Subcommittee on the Translation of Scripture Texts.

He is a member of the Papal Foundation.

On July 15, 2003, he was appointed the 12th bishop/eighth Archbishop of Philadelphia; his Installation took place on Oct. 7, 2003.

Archbishop Rigali was appointed to the College of Cardinals by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on Sept. 28, 2003.

He was formally created Cardinal in the Public Consistory of October 21, 2003.

On June 5, 2004 he became a member of the Knights of Peter Claver.

As Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia, Cardinal Rigali received the pallium from the Holy Father on June 29, 2004.

In October 2005 the Cardinal served as a member of the 11th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, with the theme: “The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Life and Mission of the Church.”

Cardinal Rigali served as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Scranton from August 31, 2009, until the episcopal ordination of Bishop Joseph Bambera on April 26, 2010.

Cardinal Rigali celebrated the 25th anniversary of his episcopal ordination on September 14, 2010, and the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood on April 25, 2011.

In June 2011 Cardinal Rigali represented Pope Benedict XVI as his Special Envoy at the celebration in the Czech Republic of the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. John Neumann.

On July 19, 2011, Cardinal Rigali became Archbishop Emeritus of Philadelphia upon Pope Benedict XVI’s acceptance of his letter of resignation written the year prior when he reached the age of 75. Until September 8, 2014, when his successor was installed as Archbishop of Philadelphia, the Cardinal served as Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese.

Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Rigali as his Special Envoy for the celebration in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis on August 24, 2014, marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the City of St. Louis.

Cardinal Rigali now resides in Tennessee in the residence of the Bishop of Knoxville.

Most Reverend Richard F. Stika

Diocese of Knoxville

Bishop Richard F. Stika was born July 4, 1957, in St. Louis, Mo. He attended Catholic schools for his entire education including earning a B.S. from St. Louis University and a Master of Divinity from Kenrick Seminary.

He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Louis on Dec. 14, 1985, by Archbishop John L. May at the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis. Since his ordination he has possessed bi-ritual faculties of the Maronite Church, an Eastern Rite of the Catholic Church.

He has served as an Associate and then a Pastor in several parishes as well as associate director of the Office of Vocations for the St. Louis Archdiocese and as spiritual director for the archdiocesan Catholic Youth Council. On June 28, 1995, he was made a Prelate of Honor of His Holiness and hence known by the title Monsignor. In 1999 then–Monsignor Stika coordinated for the archdiocese the visit of Pope John Paul II to St. Louis.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed him bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville on January 12, 2009, and he was ordained Knoxville’s Ordinary on March 19, 2009.

Bishop Stika is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, a member of the Equestrian Order of the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre, and a board member of the Daughters of St. Paul of St. Louis. He has a great love for contemplative religious orders and all those who serve as consecrated religious. He serves on the USCCB Board for the Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People as well as on the Committee for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe. Bishop Stika is also on the Episcopal Board for Catholic Athletes for Christ.

He is a die-hard fan and supporter of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team. He enjoys spending time with his dog, Rosie, a cockapoo. He appreciates a variety of music, from classical to the Beatles and Frank Sinatra. He likes to work with his hands and loves to read biographies and history books, especially on American History.

View Bishop Stika’s coat of arms.

View Bishop Stika’s curriculum vitae.