Bishop of Rochester
Bishop John S. Bonnici was born on 17 February 1965 in New York, in the metropolitan see of the same name. He was awarded a bachelor’s degree in biology and philosophy from Saint John’s University in New York, and carried out his ecclesiastical studies at the Pontifical North American College, obtaining a licentiate in theology from the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences. He was subsequently awarded a doctorate from the same institute in Washington, United States of America. He was ordained a priest on 22 June 1991 for the metropolitan archdiocese of New York. He has held the following offices: parish vicar of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Elmsford (1992-1994), adjunct professor of theology at Saint Joseph’s Seminary and College in Dunwoodie (1995), deputy director (1995-1996) and director (1996-1999) of the Family Life/Respect Life Office, parish priest of Saint Philip Neri in the Bronx (2002-2008), parish priest of Saint Columba in Chester (2008-2021), administrator of Saint Mary in Washingtonville (2020-2021), parish priest of Saint Augustine and Saints John and Paul in Larchmont (2021-2022). He was appointed titular bishop of Arindela and auxiliary of New York on 25 January 2022, and received episcopal consecration on the following 1 March. Bishop-elect Bonnici is a priest of the Archdiocese of New York and has served as pastor of St. Augustine parish and Saints John and Paul parish in Larchmont since 2021. Father Bonnici was born February 17, 1965, in New York, New York. He received Bachelor of Science degrees in biology and philosophy from St. John's University in Queens, New York in 1987, and studied at the Pontifical North American College and at the Gregorian University in Rome (1987-1990). He pursued his graduate studies at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute in Rome where he earned his licentiate degree (1990-1992), and at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute in Washington where he earned his doctorate (1995). He was ordained to the priesthood on June 22, 1991. Bishop-elect Bonnici's assignments include serving on the faculty of St. Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie, New York (1994-1995); assistant director (1995-1996) and director (1996-2002) of the archdiocesan family life/respect life office. His parish assignments include: parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Elmsford (1992-1994); pastor at Church of St. Philip Neri in the Bronx (2002-2008); pastor at St. Columba in Chester (2008-2021); and administrator at St. Mary's parish in Washingtonville (2020-2021).