Bishop David L. Ricken, One of College’s Founders, to Speak at Commencement 2019
This May, Wyoming Catholic College will host friends and supporters from around the country for Commencement Week—a three-day event celebrating the academic achievements of the members of the Class of 2019. The week will conclude with Commencement, and as is always the case, the highlight of that occasion will be the talk delivered by our commencement speaker.
The College is honored to announce this year’s speaker: Bishop David L. Ricken, Bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay and one of the College’s three founders. “We’re delighted to have Bishop David Ricken returning to the College he was so instrumental in bringing into being while Bishop of Cheyenne,” said Dr. Glenn Arbery, the College’s president. “His commitment to founding a strong Catholic college in Wyoming has borne great fruit, attracting students from across the country and sending graduates into all walks of life.”
Bishop Ricken was ordained to the priesthood in September 1980. His first appointment was as associate pastor to the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pueblo, Colorado. Five years later he was named the administrator of Holy Rosary Parish in Pueblo and vice chancellor of the diocese. In 1987 then-Father Ricken attended the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, where he received his Licentiate degree (JCL) in canon law. Upon returning to the diocese, he was appointed the vocation director and vicar for ministry formation. Three years later, he added diocesan chancellor to his responsibilities as well as assisting in the Diocesan Tribunal. He served in these positions until October 1996, when he was nominated to be an official of the Congregation for the Clergy at the Vatican. In January 2000 he was ordained to the episcopacy for the Diocese of Cheyenne at the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II. In September 2001 Bishop Ricken became the seventh leader of the Diocese of Cheyenne. Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Ricken the twelfth bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay and he was installed as bishop on August 28, 2008, at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay. Bishop Ricken is a member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and is presently a member of the Bishops’ Advisory Council for the Institute for Priestly Formation and the Catholic Mutual Relief Society. Bishop Ricken also serves on various boards and committees, locally and nationally.
For more information on the Commencement events (and to RSVP), please visit www.wyomingcatholic.edu/graduation. We hope you can join us!
