Msgr. Robert A. Kurwicki elected to serve as diocesan administrator
Will do so until a new bishop is appointed, installed
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The bishop’s chair remains vacant, but the work of the Church in these 38 counties continues on.
The diocesan College of Consultors of the Jefferson City diocese on June 1 elected Monsignor Robert A. Kurwicki to serve as diocesan administrator until a new bishop is appointed and installed here.
“I humbly accept the responsibility of serving as diocesan administrator,” said Msgr. Kurwicki. “I thank the College of Consultors for their trust, and I ask for your prayers as we work together in the coming months and prepare for the appointment of the next bishop of Jefferson City.”
The election was held by ballot at the rectory of the Cathedral of St. Joseph, with the eight priests of the College of Consultors participating.
The election came several days after Archbishop Shawn McKnight, who led this diocese for seven years, was installed as archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas.
Archbishop McKnight’s leadership of this diocese ceased when he assumed his new role in Kansas.
As diocesan administrator, Msgr. Kurwicki is charged with maintaining the essential operations of the diocese.
According to canon law, a diocesan administrator may not enact major changes or initiatives, as those responsibilities are reserved for the next bishop, who will be appointed by Pope Leo XIV.
“The office of diocesan administrator allows for some minor changes to be made,” Msgr. Kurwicki noted, “but those matters that the previous bishops have established — we can’t revisit them.
“The next bishop has that prerogative, but not the diocesan administrator,” he said.
Msgr. Kurwicki’s time as administrator will conclude upon the installation of the new bishop.
People and places
“Msgr. Kurwicki will serve us faithfully and well as our diocesan administrator,” stated Father Christopher Cordes, a member of the College of Consultors, who served as vicar for priests under Archbishop McKnight.
“He is deeply committed to the Universal Church and to the diocese,” said Fr. Cordes. “He has a great deal of experience in diocesan as well as parish leadership, and having served as Bishop McKnight’s vicar general, he has a close awareness of the current status of the diocese.”
Msgr. Kurwicki, 65, currently serves as pastor of St. Peter Parish in Jefferson City and as chaplain of the Missouri House of Representatives.
He plans to continue carrying out those responsibilities and living in the St. Peter Rectory.
He also served as vicar general for Archbishop McKnight’s entire seven-year tenure in the Jefferson City diocese.
Ordained to the Holy Priesthood in 1985, he holds a master of divinity degree and a master of arts degree in Church history from Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis.
He has visited all but four parishes in this diocese.
He ministered as associate pastor of St. Peter parish in Marshall and the former Holy Family Mission in Sweet Springs, then as associate pastor of St. Peter Parish in Jefferson City while teaching Church history at Helias Catholic High School.
He then ministered as pastor of St. Michael Parish in Kahoka, Shrine of St. Patrick Parish in St. Patrick and the former St. Martha Mission in Wayland; then as pastor of St. Bonaventure Parish in Marceline and St. Joseph Parish in Hurricane Branch; then as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Westphalia; then as pastor of Cathedral of St. Joseph Parish in Jefferson City.
He became pastor of St. Michael Parish in Russellville near the beginning of his time as vicar general, and was appointed pastor of St. Peter in Jefferson City in 2023.
He served two terms as state chaplain for the Knights of Columbus and for six years as diocesan chaplain for the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, which primarily supports the Christian communities and the work of the Church in the Holy Land.
He served as master of ceremonies for Bishop Michael F. McAuliffe, now deceased, who led the diocese from 1969-97. This involved traveling with the bishop to parishes throughout the diocese for special functions.
He served for 11 years as vice chancellor and priest secretary to Bishop Emeritus John R. Gaydos, who led the diocese from 1997-2018. The position involved working with the bishop on answering correspondence, scheduling parish visits and other events in the diocese, and researching liturgical protocol.
“I’m truly grateful to Bishop Gaydos for his wise counsel and example of good Church leadership,” said Msgr. Kurwicki.
During his time at Cathedral of St. Joseph Parish, the parish undertook a $5.7 million capital campaign to expand the school and replace the rectory that stood in the way of the expansion.
He also oversaw the acquisition of the former Carmelite Monastery and its conversion to a rectory for the Cathedral parish.
In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI, appointed him a Chaplain to His Holiness, with the title Reverend Monsignor.
Archbishop McKnight appointed Msgr. Kurwicki as vicar general on his second day as bishop of Jefferson City.
In that role, Msgr. Kurwicki functioned as second in command to the bishop in the diocese, serving administratively and liturgically in the bishop’s place when the bishop was sick or away, and only in concert with the bishop’s intentions.
“I thank Archbishop McKnight for the level of trust he afforded me and for allowing me to collaborate with him on his vision,” Msgr. Kurwicki stated.
Stop and give thanks
As diocesan administrator, Msgr. Kurwicki will not sit in the bishop’s chair while offering Mass in the Cathedral of St. Joseph. He will not move into the bishop’s house or use the bishop’s office in the Chancery.
He plans to delegate to all pastors in the diocese the authority to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation in their parishes until a new bishop arrives.
He cannot dedicate churches or consecrate altars, but he does hope to represent the entire diocese at special events such as parish anniversary celebrations.
He plans to leave decisions about major capital projects in parishes to the next bishop.
Plans are for an additional priest to be temporarily assigned to assist with his parish duties at St. Peter.
Msgr. Kurwicki pointed out that there are 20 other dioceses in the United States that are awaiting the appointment of new leadership.
“So, we will likely be at least a year without a bishop,” he said.
He noted that canon law gives a diocesan administrator just enough authority to govern a diocese effectively through a time of transition without diverging significantly from the course set by the previous bishop.
He plans to use that authority to promote unity throughout the Church in these 38 counties and help solidify the good work brought forth by Archbishop McKnight and his predecessors.
An astute student of history, Msgr. Kurwicki takes the long view of Church governance and the lessons held in the nearly seven decades that have passed since this diocese was founded.
“What we all — priest and layperson, alike — need to do right now is pause, take a deep breath, relax and be grateful for these past seven years,” he said. “We also need to pray to the Holy Spirit to inspire Pope Leo to appoint us a new bishop as soon as is possible.
“And we need to work on our unity,” the priest stated. “Our unity is part of what marks us as Catholic. It’s too precious for us to allow it to deteriorate.”
Circling back
Msgr. Kurwicki was ordained a transitional deacon and 40 years ago as a priest in the Cathedral of St. Joseph.
“Never could I have imagined that I would end up serving as pastor there for 14 years, and now as a diocesan administrator,” he said. “Life is quite an adventure!”
He’s grateful to his fellow members of the College of Consultors — Father Brad Berhorst, Fr. Cordes, Monsignor David Cox, Father Jason Doke, Monsignor Gregory Higley, Father William Peckman and Father Paul Oligschlaeger — for showing this level of confidence in him.
“It really touched my heart when my own brother priests voted for me to assume this position of administrator, as this is the first time ever in our history we that have had this opportunity,” he said.
The first three bishops of this diocese remained here until retirement, meaning no diocesan administrator had to be elected from among the priests.
Msgr. Kurwicki is also grateful to the Church leaders in the Vatican for allowing this diocese to select its own administrator.
“They recognized that among the consultors, there were significant candidates who could carry out this role,” he stated.
There is no official timeline for the selection of a new bishop. It could happen at any time. However, in recent similar situations in the United States, it has taken several months to a year for a new bishop to be named.
Msgr. Kurwicki asked for prayers for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to the people of this diocese and all who will have a say in appointing a new bishop.
“I am a firm believer that if we all really believe and pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the bishop’s mitre will find itself the right head to rest upon,” he stated.
