Most Reverend John H. Ricard, SSJ (emeritus)

John H. Ricard, a native of Baton Rouge, LA, entered the Josephite College Seminary in Newburgh, NY after high school. He completed his theological training at St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, D.C., and was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1968. He later received an M.A. from Tulane and a doctorate from the Catholic University of America.

In 1984, he was ordained an auxiliary bishop for the Baltimore Archdiocese.  Pope John Paul II then appointed him the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee in 1997 (retired 2011).  Ricard has served as Chair of Catholic Relief Services, Chair of USCCB International Policy Committee, and Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Church in Africa.  Ricard now serves as rector for the Josephite seminary in Washington, D.C.

Ricard also has served as president and chairman of the board of trustees for the National Black Catholic Congress (which gathers every 5 years).  Since Congress re-emerged in 1987, Ricard has invested tremendous time, resources and leadership towards its success. Congress attendees (3,000-5,000) are primarily Black Catholics.  Congress provides a forum to address urgent Black Catholic issues, to promote evangelization and to foster engagement of Black Catholics among ourselves and within the larger Roman Catholic community.