Steven J. Raica

Steven John Raica (born November 8, 1952) is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Birmingham in Alabama since 2020. He previously served as Bishop of Gaylord from 2014 to 2020.

Biography

Early life and education Steven Raica was born on November 8, 1952, in Munising, Michigan to Steve and Mary Raica. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, a Master of Divinity degree from St. John's Provincial Seminary in Plymouth, Michigan, and a Master of Religious Studies degree from the University of Detroit.

In 1984, the diocese moved Raica to Holy Family Parish in Ovid, Michigan to serve as pastor. The next year, he left Holy Family to become co-rector of St. Mary Cathedral. In 1988, Raica traveled to Rome to attend the Pontifical Gregorian University, receiving a Licentiate in Canon Law and a Doctor of Canon law degree. He was consecrated by Archbishop Allen Vigneron on August 28, 2014, in St. Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Gaylord, Michigan. Bishop Emeritus Carl Mengeling and Coadjutor Archbishop Bernard Hebda were the principal co-consecrators. Obwaka was acquitted in July 2017.

Bishop of Birmingham Francis named Raica as bishop of Birmingham on March 25, 2020. He was installed on June 23, 2020.

Raica can converse in Italian and Polish, and has a reading knowledge of Latin, French, Spanish and German.