On Sunday, June 23, Bishop Raica celebrated his 4th anniversary as the Bishop of Birmingham in Alabama by celebrating Mass at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in the Collegeville neighborhood of Birmingham. Following Mass, the bishop gathered with parishioners for a listening session. 

Around the country, many inner city and rural parishes are either merging or closing due to various reasons such as low Mass attendance, demographics, finances, or aging facilities.

When the listening session began, Bishop Raica immediately allayed fears by stating he was not there to close their parish. “I am here to listen,” he reassured the parishioners. The bishop spoke of his devotion and closeness to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the namesake of the parish. He not only grew up in Sacred Heart Parish in Michigan, but he also attended Sacred Heart School in Michigan and took pre-Theology at Sacred Heart Seminary, also in Michigan. After listening to Sacred Heart’s people, the sentiment that the bishop was there to care for his flock was prevalent.