Pope Francis has named the Most Rev. James T. Ruggieri as the 13th Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland.

Ruggieri is the pastor of Saint Michael the Archangel Parish and Saint Patrick Parish in Providence, Rhode Island. He will be ordained and installed as bishop on May 7, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland.

Ruggieri succeeds Bishop Robert P. Deeley, who is retiring after 10 years in the role. Deeley will continue to reside in Maine as Bishop Emeritus.

“I am honored and humbled to have been chosen as the next Bishop of the Diocese of Portland by the Holy Father,” said Ruggieri in a news release from the diocese Tuesday morning. “I very much look forward to diving right into getting to know all who make up the diocese, especially the priests and parishioners. I am grateful that Bishop Deeley will retire in Maine and provide me with valuable support.”

Deeley submitted his formal letter of resignation to Pope Francis in 2022 at the age of 75. 

“I have enjoyed immensely being Bishop of the Diocese of Portland for the last decade,” Deeley said. “The state of Maine is a very special place, with deep Catholic roots. It has been a blessing to get to know our communities of the faithful from Kittery to Fort Kent, from Rangeley to Eastport, and everywhere in between. I look forward to continuing my relationship with this great diocese and supporting Bishop Ruggieri.”

Ruggieri has been the pastor of Saint Patrick Parish since 2003 and Saint Michael Parish since 2020. 

In 2009, he, along with parishioners and supporters, founded Saint Patrick Academy, a Catholic college-preparatory high school in Providence. 

Prior, Ruggieri was an assistant pastor at St. Matthew Church in Cranston, All Saints Parish in Woonsocket and Holy Spirit Parish in Central Falls.

The Diocese of Portland of today includes the entire state of Maine and is part of the Province of Boston, home to 275,000 Catholics.

It includes 48 parishes, eight elementary schools, one private elementary school, one diocesan high school and one private high school.

It also includes the Catholic college Saint Joseph's College of Maine in Standish.