Bishop of Evansville
Msgr. Joseph M. Siegel, from a family of nine siblings, was born on 18 July 1963 in Joliet, Illinois, in the diocese of the same name. He attended “Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary High School” in Lockport (1977-1980) and the “Joliet Junior College”. He carried out his higher studies in “Saint Meinrad Seminary College” in Saint Meinrad in Indiana (1984), and then at the Pontifical Gregorian University (1987) and the Pontifical Saint Thomas University in Rome. He then obtained a licentiate in systematic theology at the University of Saint Mary in Mundelein, Illinois (1990). He was ordained a priest on 4 June 1988 for the diocese of Joliet in Illinois. Since priestly ordination, he has held the following offices: parish vicar in the Saint Isidore parish, Bloomingdale (1988-1994), the Saint Mary parish in Plainfield (1994-1998), the Saint Mary Nativity parish in Joliet (1998-2000) and the Cathedral of Saint Raymond in Joliet (2000-2004); pastor of the Visitation parish in Elmhurst (2004-2010); president of the presbyteral council, diocesan consultor and “General Chair” of the diocesan Year of the Eucharist. He was appointed as titular bishop of Pupiana and auxiliary of Joliet on 28 October 2009, and received episcopal consecration on 19 January 2010. As auxiliary, he served as vicar general, director of permanent formation of the clergy, diocesan consultor and diocesan administrator of Joliet (2010-2011). Within the Episcopal Conference, he is a member of the Committee on Divine Worship. Aside from his native English, he speaks Italian and Spanish. Holy Father’s telegram of condolences for the death of His Eminence Cardinal Ricardo J. Vidal.