Edward M. Rice


Edward Matthew Rice is an American prelate who is the bishop of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau in Missouri. He was named Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau by Pope Francis on April 26, 2016, and was installed on June 1, 2016. Rice previously served as auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis from 2010 to 2016.

Biography

Early life and education

Rice was born July 28, 1960, at St. Louis, Missouri, one of the ten children of the late John and Helen Rice. He graduated from St. Mary's High school in south St. Louis. He received the master's degree of divinity from Kenrick School of Theology in 1987.
Rice was ordained a deacon on May 3, 1986, by Bishop J. Terry Steib, SVD.

Priestly Ordination and ministry

Rice was ordained to the priesthood on January 3, 1987, by Archbishop of Saint Louis John L. May. He taught at St. Mary's High School in St. Louis from 1991, until four years later he became assistant director of Cardinal Glennon College, the minor seminary of the St. Louis archdiocese. He was named director of the college in 1996 and held the job until 2000. In that year, he received an assignment as pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in St. Louis. Then in 2008, he stepped down as pastor to become director of the Office of Vocations for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, the position he has held since.
On July 2, 2008, he was appointed as a chaplain of His Holiness with the title monsignor.

Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis

On December 1, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Rice an auxiliary bishop of St. Louis, Missouri, and titular Bishop of Sufes.
Rice's episcopal consecration took place on January 13, 2011, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. Robert James Carlson, the Archbishop of St. Louis, was the principal consecrator. Bishops John R. Gaydos and Richard F. Stika, were the principal co-consecrators. Raymond Leo Burke, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura and archbishop emeritus of St. Louis; and Bishop Hermann were also in attendance.

Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau

On April 26, 2016, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis had appointed Rice bishop of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, a diocese spanning the southern third of Missouri. His installation took place June 1, 2016, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Springfield.

Episcopal succession