DIOCESE of GREEN BAY
P.O. Box 23825 • Green Bay WI 54305-3825 • 920-272-8194 • FAX 920-435-1330
November 22, 2008
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Thanksgiving — it’s a time to give thanks and to reflect on God’s blessings in our lives! I know for certain that I am thankful to be here with you in the Diocese of Green Bay where the Church is an integral part of daily life. This Thanksgiving marks a milestone for me because I will have completed my first 90 days as your Bishop. In business terms, it’s called the first quarter. Here’s what I have been doing during my first 90 days on the job.
I have traveled to nearly all of the 16 counties of the Diocese where I have been welcomed by so many of you. During my visits to places like Antigo, Florence, Oshkosh, Appleton, Hofa Park and Manitowoc, among others, I have been profoundly humbled and inspired by your kindness and deep sense of faith. Wherever I go, I have exchanged blessings with you and delighted in delicious meals usually cooked by the parishioners themselves! I have been blessed to celebrate Sunday Masses and special liturgies with you, participate in staff and clergy retreats, dedicate and bless churches and classrooms, celebrate the Sacraments including Confirmation, and simply pray with you. You are good and faithful people, and my heart is full of
joy and thanksgiving!
During my visits, many of you have asked what my vision is for the Diocese of Green Bay, and I often responded with “I’m not sure yet” or “I’m still learning about the Diocese.” The initiatives that I talked about when I first came here are still very important to me and will be an integral part of our future diocesan planning efforts. These initiatives include vocations to the priesthood, religious life, married or single life; evangelization (sharing our faith with others); lifelong learning of our faith; strengthening our families; and ensuring the safety and protection of all children and vulnerable adults.
While I could talk about each of these initiatives in great length, I want to focus on one -- the safety of all children and vulnerable adults. I am committed to protecting our children and vulnerable adults from any kind of harm, especially abuse. Abuse is always wrong because it is contrary to the Gospel message of Jesus. As a Diocese, we have taken numerous measures to maintain safe environments in our parishes, schools and other facilities.
These measures include the following: 1.) No one with a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor is allowed to serve in public ministry. 2.) Some people have asked us to release the names of alleged offenders. We do so through our mandatory reporting of all credible allegations of abuse to local civil authorities — no exceptions. This requirement respects everyone’s rights and it allows civil authorities to do what they do best — investigate and prosecute. 3.) We require all employees -- including myself— at our parishes, schools, diocesan facilities and offices and all adult volunteers who have regular contact with children and vulnerable adults to sign our Code of Conduct, undergo a background check, and participate in VIRTUS Protecting God’s Children for Adults training. In the last five years, we’ve conducted background checks on approximately 18,000 employees and volunteers, and nearly 20,000 people have participated in VIRTUS. There is much more we have been doing and will continue to do. To learn more, visit www.gbdioc.org, select “Protecting Our Children,” and then the “Fact Sheet.”
Finally, it has been an exciting time for me in the first 90 days as your Bishop. Thank you for your commitment to help make our parish communities strong and vibrant, and thank you for your faith-filled dedication to Jesus Christ and His Holy Church. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers and I will do the same for you. May your days be filled with God’s blessings.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
The Most Reverend David L. Ricken, DO, JCL
Bishop of Green Bay
OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
Welcome Bishop David Ricken
The Diocese of Green Bay announced on Wednesday, July 9th, that Bishop David Ricken of Cheyenne, Wyoming will become the new bishop of the Green Bay Diocese next month. Below is an excerpt from the Diocese of Cheyenne’s website to give you a little background on our soon-to-be bishop!
Selected Highlights from the Curriculum Vitae of The Most Revered David Laurin Ricken, D.D., J.C.L.
Bishop Ricken was born on November 9, 1952 in Dodge City, Kansas, to G.W. (Bill) Ricken and Bertha (Davis) Ricken. He is one of three children; his brother, Mark, is the superintendent of schools in Flagler, Colorado and his sister, Carol Ricken, is the principal of Ben Franklin Grade school in Pueblo, Colorado.
He attended Dodge City's Sacred Heart Cathedral Grade School and St. Francis Seminary High School in Victoria, Kansas, from which he graduated in 1970.
After high school, Bishop Ricken began his collegiate studies at the Pontifical College Josephinum, in Worthington, Ohio, and graduated from Conception Seminary College in Conception, Missouri in 1974 with a bachelor of arts in philosophy.
His theological studies for the Diocese of Pueblo were taken at St. Meinrad School of Theology, in St. Meinrad, Indiana and the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, where he received his master's degree in theology in 1980 and where he attended the American College for Seminary Formation.
Bishop Ricken was ordained to the priesthood by the Bishop of Pueblo, Arthur Tafoya, in 1980. After serving as associate pastor and administrator, he was appointed vice-chancellor of the diocese from 1985-1987.
In 1987, Bishop Tafoya assigned him to graduate studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he received his licentiate degree in canon law in 1989. Following his studies, Bishop Ricken returned to the Diocese of Pueblo as Vocation Director and Vicar for Ministry Formation and was additionally named Chancellor of the Diocese in 1992. He was also appointed to assist in the Diocesan Tribunal, and served in these three positions until October, 1996 when he was nominated to his most recent position in the Vatican's Congregation for the Clergy.
Bishop Ricken was named Coadjutor Bishop for the Diocese of Cheyenne on December 14, 1999 and ordained to the episcopacy on January 6, 2000 by Pope John Paul II.
On January 6, 2000 David L. Ricken was ordained to the episcopacy for the Diocese of Cheyenne at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome by His Holiness Pope John Paul II. The Mass of Welcome to the Diocese of Cheyenne took place on February 11, 2000 in Cheyenne. Bishop Ricken is currently a member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Ad Hoc Committee to Oversee the Use of the Catechism and is on the Editorial Oversight Board for the National Directory of Catechesis (2001). He is President of the National Rural Life Committee. (2001) He was elected to the Episcopal Board of Governors of the Pontifical North American College in 2001. Bishop Ricken succeeded as the Bishop of the Diocese of Cheyenne on September 26, 2001.
