Former Bank of America exec tapped as next Washington auxiliary

Vatican City, Mar 8, 2017 / 06:13 am

On Wednesday the Vatican announced Pope Francis' appointment of Fr. Roy Edward Campbell, Jr., a former vice-president for Bank of America, as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Washington.

"All of us in the Archdiocese are deeply grateful that our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has named Father Roy Campbell to be an auxiliary bishop in our Church of Washington," Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, said in a statement March 8.

Father Campbell, who was born, raised and who has worked and served in the archdiocese, "brings to his new ministry recognized talent and demonstrated ability. He also bears witness to the great cultural and ethnic richness of the Church of Washington reflected in all of the faithful, lay, religious and clergy."

"Personally I look forward to continuing to work closely with our new auxiliary bishop, who over the years has made significant contributions to the pastoral life of this archdiocese," he said.

Fr. Campbell, 69, had a 33-year long career with Bank of America, beginning as a teller and working his way up to vice president and "Project Manager" before taking an early retirement in 2002 to follow a priestly vocation.

Born on Nov. 19, 1947, in southern Maryland, the Campbell was raised in D.C. and was interested in the priesthood as a child, but never committed to entering the seminary.

After high school he attended and graduated from Howard University in 1969 and later received a master's degree in banking from the University of Virginia, working in the retail banking industry in the Washington-Baltimore area until taking an early retirement in 2002.

He was an active Catholic both in parishes and the broader Washington-area community, serving as a lector and usher and as a member on the Pastoral and Finance Councils at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart.

An encounter with a homeless man in December 1995, prompted him to reflect on his relationship with Jesus, and as a result he entered the archdiocese's permanent diaconate program in 1999. He entered the seminary in January 2002, and was ordained a priest May 26, 2007.

Since his ordination, bishop-elect Campbell has been parochial vicar and pastor at several parishes. He said in a video interview for the Archdiocese of Washington that "the Lord himself has bestowed upon me through the Holy Father," a great honor by the appointment.

"The only thing I was looking forward to doing in answering our Lord's call is to be a priest for his people. To love and serve those who he's called me to," he continued.

"And if he's calling me to serve on a larger scale than a parish, as a bishop, then I know I will have his grace, his direction, and his love to help me do so. So, outside of that, what it will entail, I will find out."