Diocese of Brooklyn Priest Reverend Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez Appointed Bishop of Palm Beach by Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV today announced he has named Reverend Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in Corona, Queens, the sixth Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Palm Beach, Florida. Bishop-elect Rodriguez will replace retiring Bishop Gerald Barbarito, whose retirement was accepted today by the Holy Father. Bishop-elect Rodriguez is expected to begin his ministry in the Diocese of Palm Beach early next year.

“I congratulate Bishop-elect Manuel Rodriguez for his appointment by the Holy Father to serve Catholics in Palm Beach,” said the Most Reverend Robert Brennan, Bishop of Brooklyn.

Bishop-elect Rodriguez has so many talents. But at the heart of it all is his love of Jesus Christ.”

Bishop-Elect Rodríguez was born in the Dominican Republic and ordained to the priesthood on July 3, 2004, in Santo Domingo. He came to the Diocese of Brooklyn in 2009, assigned as a parochial vicar at St. Michael Parish in Sunset Park (Brooklyn) until 2011. During his time as pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Williamsburg (2011-2014), he was incardinated into (became affiliated with) the diocese on June 29, 2012. He then served as the pastor of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Jamaica (Queens) from 2014 to 2020 and has served as pastor at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Corona since 2020.

“The exuberance Bishop-elect Rodriguez brings to his ministry is refreshing, and it is all about love for Jesus Christ and love for the gospel. He has done an extraordinary job at Our Lady of Sorrows, our largest parish, where he walks with the people, many of whom are immigrants, and stays close to their hearts. Those are gifts that will help him as he begins this new chapter of his ministry,” continued Bishop Brennan.

Bishop-elect Rodriguez is a canon lawyer with extensive experience in penal canon law. He has a doctorate, along with master’s and bachelor’s degrees from universities in the U.S., Spain, Italy, and the Dominican Republic. Bishop-elect Rodriguez has served in numerous senior diocesan roles, in addition to his parish responsibilities, including as promoter of justice. A native Spanish speaker, Bishop-Elect Rodríguez is also fluent in English, Italian, and French.

Bishop-elect Rodriguez will be introduced in the Diocese of Palm Beach today at an 11 a.m. press conference at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens. The press conference will also be live-streamed on Facebook Live, facebook.com/DiocesePB.

Photos attached.

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