Michael Duca

His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Michael Gerard Duca
Bishop of Baton Rouge
ChurchRoman Catholic
DioceseBaton Rouge
AppointedJune 26, 2018
InstalledAugust 24, 2018
PredecessorRobert William Muench
Previous post(s)
Orders
OrdinationApril 29, 1978
by Thomas Ambrose Tschoepe
ConsecrationMay 19, 2008
by Alfred Clifton Hughes, Michael Sheehan, and Kevin Farrell
Personal details
Born (1952-06-05) June 5, 1952 (age 72)
Dallas, Texas
MottoSpera in Domino
(Hope in the Lord)
Styles of
Michael Gerard Duca
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Michael Gerard Duca (born June 5, 1952) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Baton Rouge in Louisiana since his installation on August 24, 2018. He previously served as the bishop of the Diocese of Shreveport in Louisiana from 2008 to 2018.

Biography

Early life

Michael Duca was born on June 5, 1952, in Dallas, Texas. He attended elementary school in Dallas and graduated from Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas in 1970. Duca attended Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas, from 1970 to 1978.[1][2]

Priesthood

Duca was ordained a priest by Bishop Thomas Tschoepe for the Diocese of Dallas at St. Thomas Aquinas Church on April 29, 1978, in Dallas.[3] After his 1978 ordination, the diocese assigned Duca to pastoral roles at the following Texas parishes:

  • All Saints Catholic in Dallas
  • St. Patrick Catholic in Dallas
  • St. Luke Catholic in Irving, Texas[2]

In 1986, Duca was appointed as vocations director for the diocese and as chaplain at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.[2] In 1994, Duca traveled to Rome to study at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, receiving a Licentiate in Canon Law in 1996.[2] After returning to Texas in 1996, Duca was named rector of Holy Trinity Seminary, a position he would hold until 2008.

Bishop of Shreveport

Coat of Arms as Bishop of Shreveport

Duca was appointed as bishop of Shreveport by Pope Benedict XVI on April 1 2008.[4] He was consecrated by Archbishop Alfred Hughes on May 19, 2008, at the Shreveport Convention Center, with approximately 3,000 people in attendance. Archbishop Michael Sheehan and Bishop Kevin Farrell were the co-consecrators.[3] Duca was one of the regular panelists on the American Religious Townhall television program.

Bishop of Baton Rouge

Duca was appointed on June 26, 2018, by Pope Francis as the sixth bishop of Baton Rouge, succeeding Bishop Robert Muench, who retired. Duca was installed by Hughes on August 24, 2018.[5][3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Most Rev. Michael G. Duca, Bishop of Baton Rouge". Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  2. ^ a b c d "Pope Francis Accepts Resignation of Most Reverend Robert Muench from the Diocese of Baton Rouge; Appoints Most Reverend Michael Duca of Shreveport as Bishop of that Same See". US Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  3. ^ a b c "Bishop Michael Gerard Duca [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  4. ^ "Msgr. Michael Duca appointed as bishop for Diocese of Shreveport". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  5. ^ Gallo, Andrea (2018-06-26). "Pope Francis appoints Bishop Michael Duca sixth leader of Baton Rouge diocese". The Advocate. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Michael Duca.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael Duca.

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Baton Rouge
2018–Present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by Bishop of Shreveport
2008–2018 		Succeeded by