John Huston Ricard

Born in New Roads, Louisiana, Ricard is of Creole descent.[2] After graduating from Xavier University Preparatory School in New Orleans in 1958, he joined the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, entering the Mary Immaculate Novitiate in Walden, New York. Ricard then attended Epiphany Apostolic College in Newburgh, New York. He completed his theological studies at St. Joseph's Seminary in Washington, D.C.[3]

On May 25, 1968. Ricard was ordained to the priesthood for the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Ricard's first assignment was as associate pastor at St. Peter Claver Parish in New Orleans. In 1970, he earned a masters degree from Tulane University.

In 1972, Ricard was assigned as pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish, then in 1975 at Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Parish, both in Washington, D.C. He also served as an instructor at the National Catholic School of Social Service at the Catholic University of America from 1976 to 1978. In 1979, Richard was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in DC. He was awarded a doctorate from Catholic University in 1983.

On May 25, 1984, Pope John Paul II appointed Ricard as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and titular bishop of Rucuma. He was consecrated on July 2, 1984 at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore by Archbishop William Borders.[1]

On January 20, 1997, John Paul II appointed Ricard as bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. He was installed on March 13, 1997.[3] On May 14, 2004, Ricard issued a statement denouncing the "abuse and torture" by US military forces of Iraqi combatants captured during the Iraqi insurgency.[4] On December 22, 2009, Ricard suffered a stroke and was treated at Sacred Heart Hospital of Pensacola.[5]

Ricard tendered his letter of resignation as bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee to Pope Benedict XVI in February 2011, citing poor health.[6] The pope accepted Ricard's resignation on March 11, 2011. In June 2011, Ricard was appointed rector of St. Joseph Seminary. In June 2019, Ricard was elected as superior general of the Josephites.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Ricard issued a statement with Archbishop Wilton Gregory calling for justice following the 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery by three men in a suburb of Brunswick, Georgia.[8]