Richard J. Sklba

Richard John Sklba (September 11, 1935 – November 21, 2024) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee from 1979 to 2010.

Early life Richard Sklba was born on September 11, 1935, in Racine, Wisconsin. He attended St. Catherine's High School in Racine for two years, then entered St. Francis Seminary in St. Francis, Wisconsin. In 1954, Sklba entered the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, earning a Bachelor of Philosophy degree and a Master of Theology degree. in Elm Grove, Wisconsin, for two years. Before his death, Murphy had admitted to sexually abusing 30 students at St. John's School for the Deaf in St. Francis, Wisconsin, and was suspected in 200 additional cases. Critics accused Sklba of grossly understating Murphy's crimes against children.

From 2005 to 2008, Sklba served as chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. In this capacity, following Pope Benedict XVI's reformulation of the Good Friday prayer for the Jews in the Tridentine Mass, Sklba stated: "Central to the concerns of the Holy Father is the clear articulation that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ and his church. It is a faith that must never be imposed but always freely chosen. The Catholic Church in the United States remains steadfastly committed to deepening its bonds of friendship and mutual understanding with the Jewish community." On October 18, 2010, Benedict XVI accepted Sklba's letter of resignation as auxiliary bishop of Milwaukee.