Pope Leo XIV has appointed Rev. Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, a Hispanic pastor from Queens, as Bishop of Palm Beach, a diocese that includes President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
A Historic Appointment
On Friday, the Vatican announced that Rev. Rodríguez, who has led the largest parish in the Diocese of Brooklyn, will serve as the next bishop of Palm Beach. The diocese, which has about 260,000 Catholics and 54 parishes and missions, will ordain and install him at a future Mass at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola.
Rodríguez’s appointment follows the resignation of Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York who had ties to Trump and who was appointed to Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission.
From Queens to Palm Beach
Born in the Dominican Republic, Rodríguez was ordained to the priesthood in 2004 in Santo Domingo. He has spent most of his ministry in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, where he led Our Lady of Sorrows parish. The church, which serves a predominantly Hispanic congregation of 17,000, suffered the loss of more than 100 parishioners to COVID-19.
During a telephone interview with the Associated Press from Palm Beach, where he was visiting a homeless shelter, Rodríguez said, “I never, never, never expected anything even close to this.” He added, “I’m even a little bit scared. But I trust in God’s assistance. One thing I can tell you is that this diocese is a diocese of hard-working priests and hard-working people, and I’m here to help.”
Immigration and the Church’s Voice
Earlier this year, Rodríguez joined a group of faith leaders across the United States in voicing concern about the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. He noted that the policy has sown fear within migrant-friendly congregations, making parishioners afraid to attend Mass, buy food, or seek medical care.
“The president is doing really good things, not only for the United States, but for the world. But when it comes to the migrant, the immigration policy, we want to help,” Rodríguez said. “We want to assist the president as a church because we believe that we can do better … than the way we’re doing this right now.”
He added, “When it comes to enforcing immigration laws, we shouldn’t be enforcing them by focusing on deporting 5-year-olds, 12-year-olds, 9-year-old kids, people that have never committed any crime. So, we’re here to help. We’re willing to help, and God willing, we will.”
Rodríguez emphasized that the Catholic Church defends the rights of migrants while acknowledging a nation’s right to control its borders. “The Church’s position about this important and urgent matter has been made crystal clear by the bishops of the United States,” he said.
He also highlighted the dignity of migrants, stating, “Migrants are not to be demonized … Good migrant people that are here to work hard for their families – they share many of our core values. They’re to be not to be rejected and treated harshly but instead, they’re to be treated respectfully and with dignity. So, that’s the idea, and Pope Leo is backing us up in this.”
The Diocese of Palm Beach and Mar-a-Lago
The Palm Beach diocese is the location of Mar-a-Lago, President Trump’s sprawling South Florida estate. Trump has referred to the resort as the “Center of the Universe.” The appointment places a bishop who has long advocated for migrants at the helm of a diocese that sits at the heart of a highly visible political landscape.
U.S. Bishops’ Response to Trump’s Policies
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has objected to the Trump administration’s hard-line immigration policies. In a general assembly earlier this year, the bishops issued a rare “special message” criticizing mass deportations and the vilification of migrants. The message also lamented the fear and anxiety that immigration raids have caused in communities and the denial of pastoral care to migrants in detention centers.
Following the Trump administration’s halt of federal funding for resettlement aid, U.S. Catholic bishops shuttered their longstanding refugee resettlement program.
Key Takeaways
- Pope Leo XIV has appointed Rev. Manuel Rodríguez, a Hispanic pastor from Queens, as Bishop of Palm Beach.
- Rodríguez has led Our Lady of Sorrows parish, serving 17,000 Hispanic parishioners and has been a vocal advocate for migrants.
- The new bishop will serve in a diocese that includes Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate and will address ongoing immigration challenges.
The appointment signals the Catholic Church’s continued commitment to defending the dignity of migrants while engaging with the political realities of the United States.
Closing
Rev. Rodríguez’s appointment marks a significant moment for the Diocese of Palm Beach, blending pastoral experience rooted in Queens with a new mandate to lead a diocese that sits at the crossroads of faith and politics. As the Vatican moves forward with his ordination and installation, the Church’s voice on immigration and migrant rights remains a central focus of the bishop’s ministry.
