PROVIDENCE, R.I. – With three sharp knocks of a small wooden mallet, Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., announced his arrival at the doors of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Providence, R.I., May 20. The main entranceway to the cathedral then opened, welcoming Bishop Lewandowski to be formally installed as the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Providence.
“So glad to be here on this very joyful occasion, this very wonderful occasion, for the church of the Diocese of Providence,” Archbishop of Harford Christopher J. Coyne said, as metropolitan archbishop for Connecticut and Rhode Island, in his opening remarks. “I pray with all of you that your new bishop will remain in good health and happiness as he serves you well.”
Monsignor John Paul Pedera, a representative for Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, read the apostolic mandate as the cardinal was still traveling from Rome following Pope Leo XIV’s installation.
“Considering therefore your duties, venerable brother, which you have fulfilled with great dedication and zeal for the good of your flock in Baltimore through your auxiliary service, we have judged you to be totally suitable to take up this new episcopal task,” Monsignor Pedera read from the document authorized by Pope Francis before his death. “We gladly appoint you as bishop of Providence with all the rights and responsibilities that accompany this office.”
Bishop Lewandowski, who served as the Redemptorist pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus-Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Highlandtown beginning in 2016 before becoming an auxiliary bishop of Baltimore in 2020, was then asked, “Are you willing to accept this see in the tradition of the apostolic faith of the church?”
The cathedral, which was filled to capacity with 1,500 people, erupted in applause when Bishop Lewandowski said, “I do accept.”
New Leader
The new leader of the Diocese of Providence then showed the Apostolic Mandate to those in attendance before being seated in the cathedra, the bishop’s chair inside the cathedral that was newly adorned with his personal coat of arms. After being presented his crozier, Bishop Lewandowski looked out into the congregation and smiled.
“Thank you for opening the door and letting me in,” Bishop Lewandowski said in his homily, which he shared in both English and Spanish. He told the gathering he would soon be knocking on their doors.
“I’ll be knocking on your doors inviting you to become a church of door-knockers,” Bishop Lewandowski said. “What does it mean to be a church that knocks on doors? That you move out of your comfort zone. … It means doing anything and everything to introduce others to Jesus. And to do anything and everything to get them to love him.”
He will knock on doors to help those who are hungry on the streets and need to be fed; to help keep the lights and heat on; to protect and defend life; to stand with immigrant brothers and sisters; and to ask people to become a priest, sister, deacon, brother or ecclesial minister “because Christ needs you. His church needs you; our diocese needs you,” the Ohio native said.
He urged everyone to “be open.”
“Let Jesus enter into your heart,” Bishop Lewandowski said. “Because Christ in and through us is set now to do great, awesome and wonderful things.”
In his closing remarks, Bishop Lewandowski thanked those in the Diocese of Providence who helped put the event together so quickly. He also thanked those who traveled from Philadelphia and Baltimore, places he previously ministered, to celebrate with him. A large contingent of people from Baltimore burst into applause when he mentioned their city.
“It’s hard to say goodbye, so let’s not say it,” Bishop Lewandowski said. He noted he would be back to Baltimore in November for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops meeting and suggested attending an Orioles game and eating steamed crabs together.
“Thank you so much, good friends, I appreciate it so much,” he said, with emotion.
‘Compassionate heart’
Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, Auxiliary Bishop Adam J. Parker and retired Auxiliary Bishop Denis J. Madden and many priests, deacons, religious sisters and lay ministers from the Archdiocese of Baltimore attended the installation liturgy, which was livestreamed by the Diocese of Providence.
Cardinal Sean Patrick O’Malley, retired archbishop of Boston; Archbishop Richard G. Henning, who served as Providence’s ninth bishop for about 18 months before being appointed to Boston Oct. 31; and retired Providence Bishop Thomas J. Tobin were among many bishops from other parts of the country who attended the celebration.
“He loved Baltimore. I know it is going to be hard for him to leave, but you go where God wants you to go,” said Kathy Wagner, Bishop Lewandowski’s aunt, who wore with pride a T-shirt that proclaimed ‘Bishop Bruce is my nephew’ on its back. “I think they’ll like him here in Providence.”
Wagner, who traveled from Sylvania, Ohio, joined other family members from Ohio, Georgia, Tennessee and Massachusetts, in the front of the cathedral where Bishop Lewandowski hugged each during the Sign of Peace.
“We’re so proud of him,” Wagner said. “He’s a good guy.”
Bishop Lewandowski wished his father, Robert Lewandowski, a happy birthday at the start of his homily.
“I’ve never had a birthday celebration like this before,” Robert Lewandowski said afterward of turning 85. “I love my son so much. What a way to celebrate.”
“He has a very, very compassionate heart that attracts people to him,” said Monsignor Jay O’Connor, episcopal vicar to the Eastern Vicariate of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. “It will serve him anywhere.”
“The man is the pastoral version of the Energizer Bunny,” said Father James D. Proffitt, vicar for clergy for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. “He is out there with the people. Every weekend, he is out there with parishes.”
After a photo shoot with his family members following the installation Mass, Bishop Lewandowski had a police escort to a public reception at the Omni Providence Hotel, where he greeted guests for two hours.
Khelly and Mauro Fernandes traveled from Philadelphia with their family to celebrate with their friend.
“I helped him learn Portuguese,” Khelly Fernandes said. Her daughter, Daphne Fernandes, 15, said she celebrated her first Eucharist with then-Father Bruce.
“He’s been with us on our journeys, and we wanted to be part of his journey, too,” Daphne said.
Joseph Rabatin, a resident of Providence and a lifelong Catholic, said the cathedral was “illuminated with the Holy Spirit” that day.
“The tide has changed with Pope Leo and this one,” Rabatin said, nodding toward Bishop Lewandowski. “There is a strong force of good in the world. This is a good day for the world and for Providence.”
Several Catholic schools from the Diocese of Providence attended both the Mass and the reception.
“Today, we are meeting the 10th bishop of Providence. It is a real important thing,” said Evana Wallace, an eighth-grade student at St. Pius V School in Providence. “It is really impactful not only in the diocese but (also) in our lives because we get to meet someone who’s going to change the way we see church.”
Sister Mary Amata Mueller, a Dominican Sister of St. Celia and principal of St. Pius V, was excited that the diocese had “a shepherd again and someone who is passionate about Jesus Christ and wants disciples.”
“We would love to have the bishop come and visit with us,” Sister Amata said.
Olivia McNeil, 13, a student at St. Augustine Catholic School in Providence, said it was important for her and classmates to attend the Mass “to represent our school and to show the bishop we are here for him and praying for him.”
“We are all ready to see his next step and what he is going to do for the Catholic Church,” Olivia said. “He is very energetic. He seems like he wants to talk to you personally.”
Bishop Lewandowski, according to Linda A’vant-Deishinni, executive director of the Diocese of Providence’s St. Martin de Porres Center, left quite an impression on all the seniors when he visited the center during a previous trip.
“All my seniors loved him,” A’vant-Deishinni said. “He just has something about him.”
Redemptorist Father Ako Walker, who succeeded Bishop Lewandowski as pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus-Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in Highlandtown, called his friend’s installation a day of joy for the Redemptorists and the many people from his parish who travelled to Providence to be with him on his big day.
“Bishop Bruce was a friend to all,” Father Walker said. “He was a hard worker. He was a visionary and I thank God for his service, his genuineness to the people and his willingness to always say yes to God and to the people.”
Groundwork for future
During the reception, Bishop Lewandowski said in an interview that he was “ready to hit the ground running.”
as the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Providence. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)
“This is going to be a few months now of visits – just visiting people, going around the diocese, visiting different parishes,” he said. “This is the groundwork for the future. This is a whole new adventure.”
Deacon Frederick “Fritz” Bauerschmidt, of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland, admitted that while he was sad for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, he was happy for his friends in Providence.
“They’re getting a great bishop,” Deacon Bauerschmidt said.
Bishop Lewandowski, appointed Bishop of Providence on April 8, was one of the last bishops in the world to be named by Pope Francis prior to the pontiff’s April 21 death.
Kevin J. Parks contributed to this article.
Email Katie V. Jones at kjones@catholicreview.org
To view more photos from Bishop Lewandowski’s installation visit https://catholicreview.smugmug.com/Bishop-Lewandowski-Installed-Providence or click through the slideshow below:
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