Our Story :: Our Bishops
A bishop is a successor of the apostles in union with the successor of St. Peter, the pope. He is appointed by the Holy Father to teach, govern, and sanctify the people of a particular geographical territory called a diocese. The Diocese of Baton Rouge has welcomed six bishops since its founding in 1961. You can read more about them here by opening and closing the boxes below.
The first Bishop of Baton Rouge was Robert Emmet Tracy, a native of New Orleans born September 14, 1909. Educated in the Catholic schools and seminaries of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, he was ordained a priest on June 12, 1932. His ministry as a priest focused especially on the young. He served as chaplain to Catholic students at Tulane University from 1941 to 1946, as Archdiocesan Director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine from 1938 to 1946, and as chaplain at the Catholic Student Center at Louisiana State University from 1946 until his ordination as Auxiliary Bishop of Lafayette on March 18, 1959. On July 20, 1961, the new Diocese of Baton Rouge was established by Pope John XXIII, and Bishop Tracy was installed as its first bishop on Nov. 8 of that year. From 1962 to 1965 he participated in the Second Vatican Council in Rome, and on October 24, 1963, he addressed the Council in the name of the American episcopacy on the subject of racial equality.
His leadership during the first years of the diocese was inspired by the conciliar vision of the Church as the People of God, with clergy, religious and laity striving together to do the work of the Lord. He established a full consultative process as an integral part of the diocesan administration, and encouraged laity and religious to join with the priests in sharing responsibility for the mission of the Church. To facilitate this, he oversaw the construction of the Catholic Life Center as a model administrative, educational and service-oriented facility where all diocesan offices would be located. Bishop Tracy also supervised the complete renovation of St. Joseph Cathedral in harmony with the spirit of the renewed liturgy that came from the Vatican Council. Truly Bishop Tracy left a lasting legacy of visionary leadership through programs and buildings, in substance and style, in spirit and in function.
Bishop Tracy resigned his See and retired on March 21, 1974. He died on April 4, 1980. Following Bishop Tracy's resignation, Archbishop Philip M. Hannan of New Orleans served as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Baton Rouge until the appointment of the second Bishop of Baton Rouge, Joseph Vincent Sullivan.
Bishop Joseph Vincent Sullivan was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Kansas City, Missouri in 1946. He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of that Diocese in 1967. In 1974 he was named the Second Bishop of the Diocese of Baton Rouge where he served until his death in September 1982. From 2004-2007, three separate lawsuits were filed by three individuals who alleged they had been sexually abused by him when they were minors. These accusations were found to be credible and resulted in settlements.
Stanley Joseph Ott was installed as the third Bishop of Baton Rouge on March 25, 1983. Born in Gretna, Louisiana on June 29, 1927, he was educated in Catholic elementary and high schools in the New Orleans area until he entered the seminary. His priestly formation was obtained at St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, Louisiana, Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, and the North American College in Rome. He was ordained to the priesthood in Rome on December 8, 1951, and in 1954 earned a Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Gregorian University there. As a young priest he was assigned as assistant chaplain at the Catholic Student Center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge from 1957 to 1961, where he served with Bishop Tracy. Later, after the establishment of the Diocese of Baton Rouge in 1961, Bishop Tracy appointed him Officialis (Judicial Vicar) of the diocese, with residence at St. Joseph Cathedral. He became the chancellor of the diocese in 1966, and rector of the Cathedral two years later. During his many years as a priest in Baton Rouge, he served in various capacities. Pope Paul VI appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans where he was ordained on June 29, 1976 at St. Louis Cathedral. He served for more than six years as archdiocesan Vicar General.
Bishop Ott was named third Bishop of Baton Rouge on January 18, 1983 by Pope John Paul II, and installed on March 25, 1983. He was welcomed back to Baton Rouge with great enthusiasm by clergy, religious and laity alike. He immediately called for each church parish in the diocese to make an effort at spiritual renewal and urged greater opportunities for lay ministry. Through Bishop Ott's leadership, both St. Michael the Archangel Diocesan Regional High School, Baton Rouge, in 1984, and St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Diocesan High School, Hammond, in 1985 were established. He oversaw the reorganization of the Presbyteral Council and other diocesan structures in line with the revised Code of Canon Law and called for more effective response to the needs of the People of God. Bishop Ott maintained a highly visible personal ministry in the diocese, tirelessly speaking about and being a witness to the Good News of Christ. He was elected by the bishops of the United States as one of the delegates to the world Synod of Bishops in Rome in 1987, which had as its topic: "The Role of the Laity in the Church and in the World." His zealous participation in various ecumenical activities also proved to be a ministry which enabled him to reach across denominational lines.
Diagnosed with inoperable cancer in the spring of 1991, Bishop Ott gave a unique personal witness to the faith in the way he accepted his illness and his pending death. Thousands were inspired by his good cheer and ongoing ministry as he grew physically weaker. He was recognized by persons of all religious backgrounds as both shepherd and friend. He died on November 28,1992.
Father John Carville, who as Vicar General had gradually taken on more of the diocesan administrative responsibilities as Bishop Ott's health failed, was elected to serve as diocesan Administrator, a post he held for just under a year.
On September 7, 1993, Alfred Clifton Hughes, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston, was appointed the fourth Bishop of Baton Rouge. Born December 2, 1932, Bishop Hughes was educated in public schools in his native Boston, MA, until he entered the seminary. He attended St. John Seminary College, Brighton, Massachusetts, and the Pontifical North American College, Rome, and was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Boston on December 15, 1957. Bishop Hughes earned a Doctorate in Sacred Theology, with a special emphasis in spiritual theology, from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 1961. He had a long career at St. John Seminary in Brighton, where he served first as a professor of philosophy and spirituality, then as spiritual director and eventually rector. He was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Boston on September 14, 1981. When his term as seminary rector ended, he served for four years as Regional Bishop of the Merrimack Region of the Archdiocese of Boston, and in 1990 was appointed Vicar General and Vicar of Administration.
Bishop Hughes was installed as Baton Rouge's fourth bishop on November 4, 1993. He immediately became a highly visible and respected witness to the Catholic faith in south central Louisiana. Under his episcopal leadership special emphasis was given to promoting the new Catechism of the Catholic Church in parishes and schools; the diocesan Vocations Office was reorganized to increase efforts at promoting priestly and religious life; and renewed efforts at combating racism and the roots of despair among the very poor were advanced.
Bishop Hughes personally and on television offered a number of ongoing series of adult education classes on various topics to make the richness of the Catholic faith accessible to and appreciated by increasing numbers of the faithful. He initiated a comprehensive Strategic Planning Process from which came a long-range plan for the diocese to meet future challenges. He also led the diocese in a most successful capital campaign, the Campaign for Tomorrow, which raised funds for a new church and office building at Christ the King Church and Student Center on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge, construction of a new Catholic Charities office building and renovation of the Tracy Center into an overnight retreat facility on the Catholic Life Center campus, and expansion of the Catholic Education Trust Fund. On February 16, 2001, Pope John Paul II transferred Bishop Hughes to be the Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans, which he assumed on May 2, 2001. He became Metropolitan Archbishop of New Orleans on January 3, 2002.
Again Father Carville, who had continued to serve as Vicar General under Bishop Hughes, was elected to serve as diocesan Administrator during the vacancy of the See.
On December 15, 2001, the appointment of Robert William Muench as the fifth Bishop of Baton Rouge was announced. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, on December 28, 1942, Bishop Muench was raised in New Orleans and served for 28 years there as a priest in the Archdiocese of New Orleans in many
different capacities, including rector of the seminary preparatory high school, Vicar for Christian Formation, Co-Pastor, Vocations Director, Executive Assistant to the Archbishop, Moderator of the Curia, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop. A graduate of St. Joseph Seminary College in St. Benedict, Louisiana, and Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans for philosophy studies, he pursued his theological seminary studies and received a Master's degree in Education (Guidance and Counseling) from The Catholic University of America, Washington, D. C. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 18,1968, and to the episcopacy as Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans on June 29,1990. From March 19,1996 until his installation as Bishop of Baton Rouge on March 14, 2002, he served as Bishop of Covington, Kentucky (just across the Ohio River from Cincinnatti, Ohio).
From his first homily at his installation Mass to his most recent words at whatever diocesan or parochial event where he has appeared, Bishop Muench has spread the message of Christ's redeeming love with his characteristic good humor and enthusiasm. He has devoted special pastoral emphasis to minister to young people and to families. He appointed priest chaplains to each of the eight Catholic high schools in the diocese. At least once a year, the bishop spent a full school day on each campus, emphasizing the Catholic identity of the school, the priority of teaching and witnessing to the Catholic faith, the ministry and outreach to and bv the students, and the conscious promotion of vocations to the religious life and priesthood. He spent more than 30 days a year visiting the Catholic secondary and elementary schools in the diocese. He participated in each Catholic high school commencement celebration as well.
Bishop Muench completed the Parish Visitation Program begun by then Bishop Hughes; approved and implemented the Diocesan Strategic Plan, centering on evangelization, vocation promotion and Catholic education; established a taskforce for Diocesan Pastoral Planning; emphasized Youth and Young Adult ministry; celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation in the parishes (meeting with the confirmands beforehand) more than 40 times annually; increased efforts to pray for and promote vocations to the priesthood, religious life and diaconate; appointed and installed all new pastors of parishes; annually visited most of the prisons and jails in the diocese; established a Diocesan Racial Harmony Commission; approved and broke ground for a new Archives Department building. His episcopal motto is "Jesus must increase" (John 3:20a).
Michael Gerard Duca, a native of Dallas, Texas, was ordained a priest on April 29, 1978, for the Diocese of Dallas. On December 20, 2004, was conferred the Title of Reverend Monsignor. He was called to the order of bishop on April 1, 2008, for service in North Louisiana. On May 19, 2008, he was ordained and installed as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Shreveport. On June 26, 2018, he was appointed as Bishop-designate for the Diocese of Baton Rouge. His installation was held on August 24, 2018.