Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation from the pastoral government of the Diocese of Rochester (United States), presented by Bishop Salvatore Ronald Matano, and has appointed as the new bishop of the diocese Bishop John S. Bonnici, until now auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York and titular of the see of Arindela. This was officially announced by the Vatican Bulletin.
Bishop Matano submitted his resignation in accordance with canon law upon turning 75 years old on September 15, 2021. He had been appointed bishop of Rochester in November 2013, after previously governing the Diocese of Burlington (Vermont), where he was ordained bishop in April 2005.
Episcopal Transition
The transition in the see of Rochester comes after the closure of the long bankruptcy process of the diocese, initiated in 2019 and recently concluded, after nearly six years of legal proceedings. According to data collected by OSV News, the approved plan established a compensation fund of $256.35 million for victims of sexual abuse.
After the confirmation of the agreement, Bishop Matano issued a statement in which he expressed his sorrow for the suffering of the survivors and asked for forgiveness for the damages caused, expressing his hope that the closure of the process would contribute to healing and the restoration of ecclesial trust.
During his episcopate, Matano also received media attention in 2019 when he requested the postponement of the beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, scheduled for December of that year, due to fears that his figure might be mentioned in reports related to abuses in the state of New York. Subsequently, officials from the foundation dedicated to Archbishop Sheen stated that there was no accusation questioning his conduct.
The reference to Sheen also has a particular historical significance for the Diocese of Rochester, which he governed between 1966 and 1969. Before that, he had been auxiliary bishop of New York and, after his time in Rochester, was appointed in 1979 as ad personam archbishop of Newport (Wales), an honorary title without pastoral government. His figure remains one of the most well-known of the American episcopate in the 20th century, both for his public projection and his evangelizing work.
Profile of the New Bishop of Rochester
Bishop John S. Bonnici was born on February 17, 1965, in New York. He holds a degree in Biology and Philosophy from Saint John’s University and completed his ecclesiastical formation at the Pontifical North American College. He obtained a licentiate and doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, in Washington.
He was ordained a priest on June 22, 1991, for the Archdiocese of New York. Throughout his ministry, he has carried out significant academic and pastoral tasks, including professor at the Saint Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie and director of the diocesan office of Family Life/Respect Life. He has also been pastor in various communities, including Saint Philip Neri in the Bronx, Saint Columba in Chester, and the parishes of Saints John and Paul and Saint Augustine in Larchmont.
On January 25, 2022, he was appointed auxiliary bishop of New York and received episcopal consecration on March 1 of the same year. According to OSV News, Bishop Bonnici is a member of the board of Aid to the Church in Need and has published various works on marriage, human sexuality, and family.