Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez as the sixth Bishop of Palm Beach, succeeding Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito who has led the diocese since 2003 and submitted his resignation upon reaching the 75 year old cut off age early in 2025. Rodriguez was born in Moca, Dominican Republic.
When commenting on the appointment, Rodriguez said he first wondered out loud if it was an AI prank. CBS News New York describes his new district of assignment as “ritzy.” CBS reported he would spend Christmas in Queens, New York and then head to Florida at the start of the new year.
The National Catholic Reporter explains that Rodríguez was ordained to the priesthood on 3 July 2004, in Santo Domingo, and became affiliated with the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York on 29 June 2012. He is a canon lawyer with extensive experience in penal canon law and pastoral leadership. Besides his parish responsibilities in Queens, he serves in senior juridical roles in the Diocese of Brooklyn, including promoter of justice and delegate of the diocesan bishop for penal cases. Rodríguez is fluent in four languages (English, Spanish, Italian and French).
The Diocese of Palm Beach was established by St. John Paul II in 1984, encompassing the counties of Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee. There is a total population of more than two million and a Catholic population of more than 260,000, served by nearly 300 ordained priests and deacons, with 20 Catholic elementary and high schools.
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22 December 2025