Kevin Michael Birmingham (October 7, 1971 – October 2, 2023) was an American

prelate A prelate () is a high-ranking member of the Christian clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin , the past participle of , which means 'carry before', 'be set above or over' or 'pre ...

of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

who was named auxiliary bishop for the

Archdiocese of Chicago The Archdiocese of Chicago ( la, Archidiœcesis Chicagiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in Northeastern Illinois, in the United States. It was established as a diocese in 1843 and ...

in 2020.

Biography

Early life

Kevin Birmingham was born on October 7, 1971, in

Oak Lawn, Illinois Oak Lawn is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 58,362 at the 2020 census. Oak Lawn is a suburb of Chicago, located southwest of the city. It shares borders with the city in two areas but is surrounded mostly by ...

, the seventh of ten children. He attended public primary school in the Chicago Ridge School District in Chicago Ridge, Illinois. Birmingham then entered Quigley Preparatory Seminary South in Chicago. To pay for bus transportation to Quigley, Birmingham worked a paper route and odd jobs. After graduating from Quigley, Birmingham entered Loyola University Chicago in 1987. He was originally planning to major in computer science but soon decided to enter the priesthood. Birmingham transferred in 1989 to Niles College Seminary at Loyola, graduating in 1993 with a

Bachelor of Philosophy Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil, BPh, or PhB; la, Baccalaureus Philosophiae or ) is the title of an academic degree that usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects. Unlike many other bachelor's d ...

degree. Birmingham then attended

University of St. Mary of the Lake The University of Saint Mary of the Lake (USML) is a Private university, private Roman Catholic seminary in Mundelein, Illinois. It is the principal seminary and theology, school of theology for the formation of priests in the Roman Catholic ...

, obtaining a degree in 1997.

Priesthood

On May 24, 1997, Birmingham was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal

Francis George Francis Eugene George (January 16, 1937 – April 17, 2015) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the eighth Archbishop of Chicago in Illinois (1997–2014) and previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Yakima and A ...

. After his ordination, Birmingham traveled to

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...

, where he celebrated his second mass as a priest at the

Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe The Basilica of Santa María de Guadalupe, officially called Insigne y Nacional Basílica de Santa María de Guadalupe (in English: Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe) is a sanctuary of the Catholic Church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary in her invo ...

. Returning to Illinois, Birmingham was assigned as associated pastor for St. Peter Claver Mission Parish in

Robbins, Illinois Robbins is a village southwest of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,629 at the 2020 census. Darren E. Bryant is the current mayor of Robbins. It is the second oldest Black incorporated town in the north follow ...

. He was transferred in 2001 to the same position at St. Benedict Parish in

Blue Island, Illinois Blue Island is a city in Cook County, Illinois, located approximately south of Chicago's Loop. Blue Island is adjacent to the city of Chicago and shares its northern boundary with that city's Morgan Park neighborhood. The population was 22,55 ...

. In 2001, Birmingham started serving at St. Francis of Assisi Paris in

Orland Park, Illinois Orland Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, with a small portion in Will County. The village is a suburb of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, Orland Park had a population of 58,703. Located 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Ch ...

. In 2005, Birmingham was named pastor of St. Anne Parish in Hazel Crest, Illinois, staying there until 2011. From 2005 to 2009, he also served on the Priests’ Placement Board for the archdiocese. Birmingham joined the

Presbyteral Council A presbyteral council or council of priests is a group of priests chosen to assist the local ordinary in an advisory capacity in the governance of a Roman Catholic diocese. Canon 495 of the Code of Canon Law lays down that every diocese must have ...

in 2006. In 2011, he was appointed pastor of Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Chicago and in 2013 dean of Deanery III-A.

Episcopal ministry

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

appointed Birmingham as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago and titular bishop of Dolia on September 11, 2020. On November 13, 2020, he was consecrated at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. On weekends, Birmingham celebrated mass in Spanish at St. John Berchmans Parish in Chicago. Birmingham was episcopal vicar of Vicariate IV in Chicago. When Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry on September 19, 2023, Blase Cardinal Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, appointed Birmingham to be Perry's replacement as episcopal vicar of Vicariate VI.

Death

Birmingham died in his sleep on October 2, 2023, five days before his 52nd birthday.

References

External links

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago Official Site

Episcopal succession

1971 births 2023 deaths People from Oak Lawn, Illinois 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States Roman Catholic titular bishops Bishops appointed by Pope Francis {{RC-bio-stub