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(2010 Interview below)
Image - Catholic Review - Bishop John H. Ricard of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Fla., is greeted by Pope John Paul II at the Vatican April 1, 2004. Bishop Ricard was among a group of U.S. prelates from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and the Military Archdiocese attending consultative meetings at the Vatican. (CNS photo from Catholic Press Photo)
According to Catholic Review, Bishop Ricard was born Feb. 29, 1940; he was one of eight children. He served as auxiliary bishop of Baltimore from 1984 to 1997, when Pope John Paul II appointed him bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. He retired in 2011 (see video below) because of health concerns following a 2009 stroke and subsequent surgeries, but continued serving the Josephites in key leadership roles.
While serving as rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary in Washington, D.C., Bishop Ricard was elected superior general of the St. Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart in 2019 and reelected in 2023.
As urban vicar of Baltimore, Bishop Ricard was responsible for parishes within the city. In 1996, he and a committee of suburban and urban pastors initiated a project to encourage Catholics in the Baltimore metropolitan area to look at social and economic issues – such as white flight – from a regional and faith perspective. The program, “Beyond the Boundaries: New Challenges of Faith in Metropolitan Baltimore,” officially launched in 1998 under Baltimore Auxiliary Bishop P. Francis Murphy.
One person Bishop Ricard influenced was Kirk Noble Bloodsworth of Cambridge, who was convicted of murder and became a Catholic while he sat on Maryland’s death row. His conviction was overturned in 1993 but, during the lengthy appeals process, the bishop and others accompanied him spiritually.
In 2008, Bloodsworth was named to the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment.
“Bishop Ricard ushered me into the (Catholic) Church while I was in prison. Around the same time, I found out about DNA testing and its power. It’s been some journey,” he told the Catholic Review after his appointment.
During the first free elections in South Africa following the collapse of apartheid, Bishop Ricard served as an official electoral observer in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, April 26-29, 1994. In a 2013 interview with the Catholic Review, he called it a “great, life-changing experience” to witness thousands of South Africans of all races vote.
“It was a very exhilarating experience to see old enemies finally reconciling and to actually see the birth of a country,” he said. “We saw people who had never voted in their life – old people and young people. It was a period of joy and jubilation.”
While in Baltimore, Bishop Ricard had been active in the anti-apartheid movement, participating in prayer vigils and anti-apartheid planning sessions in Baltimore and Washington. He put pressure on the U.S. Congress, the Reagan administration and the State Department to support sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa.
Bishop Ricard met Mandela during a 1990 visit to the Riverside Church in New York after Mandela’s release from prison.
Bishop Ricard served on the Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services board of directors as treasurer from 1992 to 1995 before being named president and chairman in December 1995. He served two consecutive three-year terms in that position.
Source - https://www.archbalt.org/archbishop-william-lori-on-the-passing-of-bishop-john-h-ricard-s-s-j/
According to Catholic Review, Bishop Ricard was born Feb. 29, 1940; he was one of eight children. He served as auxiliary bishop of Baltimore from 1984 to 1997, when Pope John Paul II appointed him bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. He retired in 2011 (see video below) because of health concerns following a 2009 stroke and subsequent surgeries, but continued serving the Josephites in key leadership roles.
While serving as rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary in Washington, D.C., Bishop Ricard was elected superior general of the St. Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart in 2019 and reelected in 2023.
As urban vicar of Baltimore, Bishop Ricard was responsible for parishes within the city. In 1996, he and a committee of suburban and urban pastors initiated a project to encourage Catholics in the Baltimore metropolitan area to look at social and economic issues – such as white flight – from a regional and faith perspective. The program, “Beyond the Boundaries: New Challenges of Faith in Metropolitan Baltimore,” officially launched in 1998 under Baltimore Auxiliary Bishop P. Francis Murphy.
One person Bishop Ricard influenced was Kirk Noble Bloodsworth of Cambridge, who was convicted of murder and became a Catholic while he sat on Maryland’s death row. His conviction was overturned in 1993 but, during the lengthy appeals process, the bishop and others accompanied him spiritually.
In 2008, Bloodsworth was named to the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment.
“Bishop Ricard ushered me into the (Catholic) Church while I was in prison. Around the same time, I found out about DNA testing and its power. It’s been some journey,” he told the Catholic Review after his appointment.
During the first free elections in South Africa following the collapse of apartheid, Bishop Ricard served as an official electoral observer in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, April 26-29, 1994. In a 2013 interview with the Catholic Review, he called it a “great, life-changing experience” to witness thousands of South Africans of all races vote.
“It was a very exhilarating experience to see old enemies finally reconciling and to actually see the birth of a country,” he said. “We saw people who had never voted in their life – old people and young people. It was a period of joy and jubilation.”
While in Baltimore, Bishop Ricard had been active in the anti-apartheid movement, participating in prayer vigils and anti-apartheid planning sessions in Baltimore and Washington. He put pressure on the U.S. Congress, the Reagan administration and the State Department to support sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa.
Bishop Ricard met Mandela during a 1990 visit to the Riverside Church in New York after Mandela’s release from prison.
Bishop Ricard served on the Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services board of directors as treasurer from 1992 to 1995 before being named president and chairman in December 1995. He served two consecutive three-year terms in that position.
Archbishop William Lori, wrote, on the passing of Bishop John H. Ricard, S.S.J.
Bishop John Ricard’s death is a profound loss for our local Church and for the entire Catholic community in the United States. As the first Black bishop in the history of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, he served this archdiocese with grace, humility and a joyful spirit that made him beloved by all who encountered him. Bishop Ricard was deeply committed to the dignity of every human life, and he was unafraid to speak out against racism and injustice wherever he saw them. He lived out the charism of the Josephites – showing a prophetic vision for the inclusion of Black Catholics in the life of the Church and an unwavering commitment to justice – right up to his last days. May his soul rest in peace.Source - https://www.archbalt.org/archbishop-william-lori-on-the-passing-of-bishop-john-h-ricard-s-s-j/
Bishop Roy E. Campbell, Jr., National Black Catholic Congress President, wrote -
With deep sadness, the National Black Catholic Congress mourns the passing of our long-time former president and faithful leader, Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ. I was informed by the Josephites that Bishop Ricard passed from this world on May 20, 2026. A tireless advocate for Black Catholics and a compassionate shepherd of God’s people, Bishop Ricard dedicated his life to faith, justice, and the strengthening of our Church community. His wisdom and unwavering commitment to the mission of the Gospel touched countless lives across the nation.
Funeral arrangements will be shared as they become available.
May he rest in the peace and joy of our Lord, whom he served with great love and humility.
– Bishop Roy E. Campbell, Jr.
Details:
(Ordination - Image Josephites Facebook)
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A Short Biography from the NBCC Website:
Bishop John H. Ricard, S.S.J., was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee on March 13, 1997 by Pope John Paul II. Bishop Ricard moved from the Archdiocese of Baltimore where he served as Auxiliary Bishop. He is the former Chair of Catholic Relief Services where he served from 1995 to 2002.Bishop Ricard was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and upon completion of high school entered the Josephite College Seminary in Newburgh, New York. He completed his theological training at St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, D.C., and was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1968. Since ordination, Bishop Ricard continued his studies, receiving a Masters Degree from Tulane University in New Orleans in 1970 and a Ph.D. from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1984. Bishop Ricard served as President of the National Black Catholic Congress from its inception until April 2019. In June 2019, he was elected Superior General of the Society of St. Joseph (the Josephites).
With deep sadness, the National Black Catholic Congress mourns the passing of our long-time former president and faithful leader, Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ. I was informed by the Josephites that Bishop Ricard passed from this world on May 20, 2026. A tireless advocate for Black Catholics and a compassionate shepherd of God’s people, Bishop Ricard dedicated his life to faith, justice, and the strengthening of our Church community. His wisdom and unwavering commitment to the mission of the Gospel touched countless lives across the nation.
Funeral arrangements will be shared as they become available.
May he rest in the peace and joy of our Lord, whom he served with great love and humility.
– Bishop Roy E. Campbell, Jr.
Details:
Death: Most Reverend John H. Ricard, SSJ, Superior General of the Josephites and Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, February 29, 1940 - May 20, 2026.
Episcopal Motto: God is Gracious
Ordained: May 25, 1968
Installed as Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee: March 13, 1997
He will be greatly missed!
Message from the Josephite Order:
It is with deep sorrow that the Josephites announce the passing of Most Reverend John H. Ricard, SSJ, Superior General of the Josephites and Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, who died on May 20, 2026, at Saint Joseph’s Seminary in Washington, DC.
Born on February 29, 1940, Bishop Ricard faithfully served the Catholic Church for decades through his ministry as a Josephite priest, counselor, educator, pastor, bishop, humanitarian, and leader. He devoted his life to
the proclamation of the Gospel, humanitarian efforts worldwide, the mission of the Josephite Society, and the pastoral care of God’s people, especially within Black Catholic communities.
The Josephite community asks for prayers for the repose of Bishop Ricard’s soul, for the Josephite community, his family, friends, and all who
mourn his passing.
Episcopal Motto: God is Gracious
Ordained: May 25, 1968
Installed as Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee: March 13, 1997
He will be greatly missed!
Message from the Josephite Order:
It is with deep sorrow that the Josephites announce the passing of Most Reverend John H. Ricard, SSJ, Superior General of the Josephites and Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, who died on May 20, 2026, at Saint Joseph’s Seminary in Washington, DC.
Born on February 29, 1940, Bishop Ricard faithfully served the Catholic Church for decades through his ministry as a Josephite priest, counselor, educator, pastor, bishop, humanitarian, and leader. He devoted his life to
the proclamation of the Gospel, humanitarian efforts worldwide, the mission of the Josephite Society, and the pastoral care of God’s people, especially within Black Catholic communities.
The Josephite community asks for prayers for the repose of Bishop Ricard’s soul, for the Josephite community, his family, friends, and all who
mourn his passing.
*******
A Short Biography from the NBCC Website:
Bishop John H. Ricard, S.S.J., was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee on March 13, 1997 by Pope John Paul II. Bishop Ricard moved from the Archdiocese of Baltimore where he served as Auxiliary Bishop. He is the former Chair of Catholic Relief Services where he served from 1995 to 2002.Bishop Ricard was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and upon completion of high school entered the Josephite College Seminary in Newburgh, New York. He completed his theological training at St. Joseph Seminary in Washington, D.C., and was ordained to the priesthood on May 25, 1968. Since ordination, Bishop Ricard continued his studies, receiving a Masters Degree from Tulane University in New Orleans in 1970 and a Ph.D. from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1984. Bishop Ricard served as President of the National Black Catholic Congress from its inception until April 2019. In June 2019, he was elected Superior General of the Society of St. Joseph (the Josephites).
Sources https://myemail.constantcontact.com/In-Memoriam.html
https://catholicreview.org/bishop-john-h-ricard-first-black-bishop-of-baltimore-and-pensacola-tallahassee-dies-at-86/
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