Press Release
Office of Communications
February 12, 2025
NORWICH, CT – The Diocese of Norwich joyfully announces that His Holiness, Pope Francis, has appointed Bishop-elect Richard F. Reidy as the sixth Bishop of Norwich. The Vatican made the official announcement today at noon in Rome (6:00 a.m. Eastern Time).
Bishop-elect Reidy comes to Norwich from the Diocese of Worcester, MA, where he has faithfully served in various pastoral and administrative roles, most recently as Vicar General. His deep commitment to both the spiritual and administrative aspects of ministry will be an invaluable blessing to the faithful of Eastern Connecticut.
Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Norwich, expressed his gratitude for the Holy Father’s appointment, stating:
“I am very grateful to the Holy Father for this appointment and look forward to assisting the Bishop-elect as he becomes acclimated to Eastern Connecticut. I am confident that he will be an excellent shepherd for the people of the Diocese.”
The Diocese asks for prayers for Bishop-elect Reidy as he prepares to embrace this new chapter of his priestly ministry.
Bishop-elect Reidy’s installation Mass will held on Tuesday, April 29 at 2PM at St. Patrick Cathedral in Norwich. At this time, further details regarding the installation are still being planned. norwichdiocese.org
After the press conference on February 12, 2025, Bishop-elect Reidy celebrated the Noon Mass
at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick.
The following biographical information for Bishop-elect Reidy was drawn from preliminary materials provided to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:
Reverend Monsignor Reidy, son of the late Robert C. and Barbara A. (Lee) Reidy, was born May 30, 1958, in Worcester and grew up at Immaculate Conception Parish in Worcester. Bishop-elect Reidy received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester (1980), and a Juris Doctor from Boston College of Law in Newton (1983). He was a member of the law firm Mirick, O’Connell, DeMallie, and Lougee from 1983 to 1990.
He studied for the priesthood at St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore. He continued his studies in Rome at the Pontifical North American College (1991-1994), earning a doctorate in sacred theology (1993) from the Pontifical Gregorian University and a master’s degree in spirituality at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (1994). He was ordained to the priesthood on June 25, 1994 and served as associate pastor of St. Peter Parish in Worcester (1994-1995) before being named rector of the cathedral and pastor of St. Paul Parish in 1995-2008.
He began graduate studies in canon law in 2008 and earned his licentiate in canon law from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. in 2010. Upon his return, he was appointed pastor of St. Ann Parish in North Oxford (2010-2013) and defender of the bond for the Diocesan Tribunal (2010 – present) in the Judicial Vicar’s Office. Since 2013, he has served as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Worcester.
Bishop-elect Reidy’s assignments after ordination also include: diocesan director for the Office of Ongoing Formation of the Clergy (2005-2008); temporary administrator at Saint Bernadette Parish in Northborough and Saint George parish in Worcester (2013-present); temporary administrator of Saint Denis is Ashburnham (2021); temporary administrator of Saint Paul and Saint Stanislaus parishes in Warren and West Warren (2022-2023).
In 2023, he was named a Chaplain to His Holiness, with the title of Monsignor. Bishop-elect Reidy speaks English and Italian.
About the Diocese of Norwich
Established in 1953, the Diocese of Norwich is comprised of 1,978 square miles in the States of Connecticut and New York. It serves the Catholic faithful across Middlesex, New London, Tolland, and Windham counties in Connecticut, as well as Fishers Island, New York. It has a total population of 669,430, of which 228,520 are Catholic.
