Michael George McGovern (born July 1, 1964) is an American prelate 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 ...

. He has served as

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

of the

Diocese of Belleville The Diocese of Belleville ( la, Diœcesis Bellevillensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the southern Illinois region of the United States. It comprises the southern counties of the state of Ill ...

in Illinois since 2020.

Biography

Early life

Michael McGovern was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 1, 1964. He is a native of the Chicago's Beverly neighborhood, and grew up in a large Catholic family. He attended St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago serving as a

lector Lector is Latin for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages it takes various forms, as either a development or a loan, such as french: lecteur, en, lector, pl, lektor and russian: лектор. It has various specialized uses. ...

there and at his family's church. McGovern attended

Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola is one of the largest Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Cathol ...

, where he earned a

Bachelor of Sacred Theology The Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology ( la, Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureus; abbreviated STB), not to be confused with a Bachelor of Arts in Theology, is the first of three ecclesiastical degrees in theology (the second being the Licentiate in Sacred ...

degree. After working for four years, he entered the

University of Saint Mary of the Lake The University of Saint Mary of the Lake (USML) is a private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hir ...

in Mundelein, Illinois in 1990.

Priesthood

On May 21, 1994, Cardinal

Joseph Bernardin Joseph Louis Bernardin (April 2, 1928 – November 14, 1996) was an American Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Cincinnati from 1972 until 1982, and as Archbishop of Chicago from 1982 until his death in 1996 from ...

ordained McGovern to the priesthood 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 Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. McGovern then served as an associate pastor at Queen of the Universe Parish in Chicago (1995-1998), St. Mary Parish in

Lake Forest, Illinois Lake Forest is a city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 19,367. The city is along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest ...

(1998-1999), and St. Juliana Parish in Chicago (2003-2004). On December 15, 2004, McGovern was assigned as pastor of St. Mary Parish. After serving there for 12 years, he was appointed pastor of St. Raphael the Archangel Parish in

Old Mill Creek, Illinois Old Mill Creek is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 162. Geography Old Mill Creek is located at (42.421820, -87.982511). According to the 2010 census, Old Mill Creek has a total area of ...

on July 1, 2016.From 2013 to 2019, McGovern was a board member of St. Ignatius College Prep.McGovern served as the dean of Deanery 1-A (2007-2020). He was named as the interim vicar of the archdiocese in February 2020.

Bishop of Belleville

On April 3, 2020,

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 McGovern as bishop for the Diocese of Belleville. His consecration took place on July 22, 2020, at the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Belleville. His principal consecrator was Cardinal Blase Cupich. On October 27, 2020, McGovern removed Reverend Anthony Onyango from his position as administrator for two parishes, citing an allegation of "inappropriate behavior" with a minor. In July 2022, McGovern announced the planned sale of the diocesan bishop's residence and his move to a more modest space in the Cathedral of St. Peter rectory. The money from the sale, he announced, would be used to subsidize various ministries and charities, including the establishment of a fund benefiting expectant mothers and children.

References

External links