Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez spoke with WPBF 25 News in an interview released on May 20, where he discussed his recent appointment as the sixth bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach. Rodríguez was ordained and installed on Feb. 24, stepping into his new position after nearly two decades under previous leadership.
The transition comes at a time when South Florida is experiencing rapid population growth, which contrasts with trends seen in many Catholic dioceses in the Northeast. Rodríguez said he has been moved by the warmth and faith of local communities since arriving from New York. “I’m not going to lie to you. It was difficult to leave New York,” Rodríguez said. “I was very happy there.”
Since taking office, Rodríguez has spent much of his first three months visiting parishes and Catholic schools throughout the region. He highlighted that while churches in places like New York face closures and consolidations, Palm Beach County is considering opening new parishes due to increasing numbers of newcomers from both southern and northern regions. “While in Palm Beach, the talk is mostly, ‘Where should we open the new parish?’” Rodríguez said.
Looking ahead, Rodríguez plans to launch a major diocesan listening session early next year aimed at developing a new pastoral plan for South Florida’s growing church community. One key focus will be reconnecting younger generations with their faith.
Rodríguez also addressed issues related to accountability within church leadership—a subject heightened by past sexual abuse crises within the Catholic Church nationwide—and praised former Bishop Gerald Barbarito for helping stabilize the diocese during challenging times. “Now we have a system in the church to go after bishops that are not doing what they’re supposed to,” he said.
In addition, Rodríguez has spoken out about federal funding cuts affecting programs for unaccompanied migrant minors supported by Catholic Charities, emphasizing that advocacy efforts are focused solely on supporting children already present in American territory: “This is not a political initiative in any way,” he said.