New Springfield-Cape Girardeau bishop visits St. Mary's

The Rev. Edward W. Rice of St. Louis on Wednesday visited St. Mary's Cathedral in Cape Girardeau to meet with his new flock and answer any questions they might have.

Rice became bishop-designate of the sprawling Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau the previous day, when Pope Francis announced his appointment from Rome.

Rice will be installed officially as the diocese's seventh bishop June 1.

"I come here with a grateful heart and feel this is the place where I'm supposed to be," Rice said during his remarks in the church office library, where several area priests and laypeople gathered to welcome him.

The local diocese, which encompasses more than 25,000 square miles and 39 counties, has been without a spiritual leader since November.

At that time, Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. was assigned to the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph to replace a cleric who had failed to report a suspected child abuser.

Rice said he wasn't sure how he came to the pope's attention for his new role, but feels his varied pastoral experiences probably made him an attractive candidate.

In addition to serving as a priest in the St. Louis diocese since his ordination in 1987, Rice worked as an associate pastor, a religion teacher, pastor and seminary director.

In 2008, he was appointed as a reverend monsignor, and in 2010, Pope Benedict XVI named him Auxiliary Bishop for St. Louis.

Although Rice touched on a number of things during his remarks Wednesday, he identified a few key goals he would like to accomplish in the local diocese. The most important, he said, is helping Catholics engage more with their faith and making sure the youth programs begun during Johnston's tenure continue to grow and strengthen.

"That's such a crucial aspect of the diocese," he said.

Another key issue is making sure priests are unified across an area that contains 66 parishes and almost 68,000 Catholics.

It's a challenge for which Rice said he's been preparing without even knowing it. But looking back now, he said he sees the hand of God in the events leading to his appointment this week.

"If you believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is going to put you wherever you need to be," he said.

ljones@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3652

Pertinent address:

615 William St., Cape Girardeau, MO