Remembering Archdiocesan Bishop Most Rev. John R. Manz

From the Archdiocese of Chicago

(Chicago, IL – July 18) – The Most Rev. John R. Manz, auxiliary bishop emeritus for the Archdiocese of Chicago and former pastor of St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish, passed away Saturday, July 15. He was 77 years old.

Manz was born on November 14, 1945, in Chicago to Jeanne and Joseph Manz. He grew up in Chicago and Morton Grove and spent summers at his grandmother’s farm. He began learning Spanish by working in the seminary kitchen with religious sisters from Mexico and with landscaping crews in the summer. In the process, he came to appreciate and revere the Hispanic people and their culture. His experience in agriculture led him to work in support of Mexican farm workers.

Manz was ordained to the priesthood on May 12, 1971, by Cardinal John Cody. A nun who had told the mischievous young John that she would "roll over in her grave if he ever became a priest" attended his first Mass. After ordination to the priesthood, Manz served as assistant pastor in Chicago and later as pastor at St. Agnes of Bohemia, where he served for 13 years.

On January 23, 1996, Manz was appointed as an auxiliary bishop by Pope John Paul II. He was consecrated on March 5, 1996, by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin. In the years after the episcopal ordination, Manz served on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Migration and Refugee Services, as chairman and then as a member of the Committee on the Church in Latin America, as chairman of the Subcommittee on the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees and Travelers, as chairman of the administrative committee and as a member of the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church. Manz retired in 2021.

From the Salesians of Chicago

By Fr. Richard Alejunas, SDB

(Chicago, IL – August 2) – Bishop Manz was a great friend of the local Salesians and Don Bosco’s mission in Chicago. For over ten years he was the Episcopal Vicar of St. John Bosco Church. He installed Salesian pastors, celebrated the sacrament of Confirmation for thousands of our young people, was interested in the Salesian mission for the young and poor, offered financial aid to high school teens attending the National Catholic Youth Conference, and simply loved the local Hispanic immigrant community.

Whenever he visited the Salesians, he was always a brother among brothers. As Cardinal Blase Cupich said at his funeral, "If Bishop Manz wasn’t picking on you, then you should worry." His fun-loving verbal jousting was a sign of his affection, most times!

It was in 2018 that Bishop Manz and his Vicariate IV team initiated the dialogue between the Archdiocese and the Salesians to expand its presence in Chicago to include St. James Church, Fullerton Avenue.

All funeral services took place at Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago. Fr. Juan Pablo Rubio and I represented the Salesian community at the 10:00 a.m. CT Funeral Mass on Wednesday, July 26. Cardinal Cupich was the main celebrant. Nearly 20 bishops, over 300 priests, and the people of God filled the Cathedral to honor this servant of the poor.