By Communications Department - Archdiocese of Miami
Archdiocese of Miami
Miami Shores, FL (December 19, 2025) – Archbishop Thomas Wenski congratulates Father Manuel De Jesus Rodriguez, as Our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV appoints him as Bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach.
“I congratulate Bishop-elect Rodriguez on his appointment,” said Archbishop Thomas Wenski. “He succeeds Bishop Barbarito, who has been a wise and zealous shepherd of souls. We are grateful for his service. Both bishops have roots in Brooklyn. The Palm Beach Diocese has often been called the sixth borough of New York City, and I am confident that Bishop-elect Rodriguez will soon feel very much at home in the Diocese of Palm Beach.”
Bishop-elect Rodriguez is a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn and currently serves as the Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrow Parish in Queens, New York. He becomes the sixth bishop to serve the Palm Beach Diocese in Florida since its establishment in 1984, and replaces Bishop Gerald Barbarito, 75, who has led the diocese since 2003.
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About the Archdiocese of Miami: The Archdiocese of Miami is led by Archbishop Thomas Wenski. It serves Catholics in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe Counties, consisting of 109 parishes and missions, including the National Shrine of Our Lady of Charity, and is served by over 170 priests, 120 deacons, and 247 brothers and sisters. The archdiocese is also home to 65 schools, including 14 secondary schools (four of which are operated by religious orders), and the only AdvancEd/SACS accredited virtual Catholic school in the U.S. The archdiocese also sponsors St. Thomas University. Mass is celebrated daily and available in a dozen languages.
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