Dennis Joseph Sullivan | |
|---|---|
| Bishop Emeritus of Camden | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Diocese | Camden |
| Appointed | January 8, 2013 |
| Installed | February 12, 2013 |
| Retired | March 17, 2025 |
| Predecessor | Joseph Anthony Galante |
| Successor | Joseph A. Williams |
| Previous post |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | May 29, 1971 by Terence Cooke |
| Consecration | September 21, 2004 by Edward Egan,Robert Anthony Brucato, andPatrick Sheridan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1945-03-17)March 17, 1945 (age 80) |
| Motto | In the breaking of the bread |
| Styles of Dennis Joseph Sullivan | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Dennis Joseph Sullivan (born March 17, 1945) is an Americanprelate of theRoman Catholic Church who was bishop of theDiocese of Camden in New Jersey from 2013 to 2025. He wasvicar general and auxiliary bishop of theArchdiocese of New York from 2004 to 2013.
Dennis Sullivan was born on March 17, 1945, in theBronx,New York, to John and Hanorah (née Hayes) Sullivan. He has two brothers, Jack and Charlie, and one sister, Catherine.[1]
Dennis Sullivan attendedMount St. Michael Academy in the Bronx before enteringIona College in New Rochelle, New York. Having decided to become a priest, he left Iona in his second year. Sullivan then enteredSt. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers, New York; he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1967. Sullivan went toPonce, Puerto Rico, in 1969 to attend the Summer Spanish Language Institute at thePontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. He was awarded aMaster of Divinity degree in 1970 from St. Joseph's.[1][2]
Sullivan wasordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of New York atSt. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan by CardinalTerence Cooke on May 29, 1971.[3] The archdiocese then sent him to theDominican Republic to further his study ofSpanish.[1] He spent three months there, where he "learned to speak Spanish very fast because nobody spoke English."[1]
After Sullivan returned to New York City in 1971, the archdiocese assigned him ascurate at the following parishes in New York City:
Sullivan was namedpastor of St. Teresa's Parish on theLower East Side of Manhattan in 1981, where he gained a degree of fluency inChinese. In 1999,Pope John Paul II elevated him to the rank ofprelate of honor. In 2004, Sullivan became pastor of SS John and Paul Parish inLarchmont.[2]
Sullivan also served as a member of the Lower East Side Catholic Area Conference, the archdiocesan priests' council, and the archdiocesan review board forsexual abuse cases.[1]
On June 28, 2004, Sullivan was appointed anauxiliary bishop of New York andtitular bishop of Enera byPope John Paul II.[4] He received hisepiscopal consecration on September 21, 2004, from CardinalEdward Egan, with BishopsRobert Brucato andPatrick Sheridan serving asco-consecrators.[3] Sullivan selected as his episcopal motto: "In the Breaking of the Bread".[1]
As an auxiliary bishop, Sullivan served as thevicar general for the archdiocese. He celebrated thefuneral mass of the writer ReverendRichard Neuhaus in January 2009.[5] Within theUnited States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Sullivan is a member of the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Island Affairs and sat on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development Committee from 2005 to 2008.[2]
On January 8, 2013,Pope Benedict XVI appointed Sullivan bishop of Camden.[6][7] In January 2014, Sullivan was criticized after the archdiocese purchased a mansion for approximately $500,000 inWoodbury, New Jersey, fromRowan University to serve as the bishop's residence. The diocese responded that the bishop needed the extra room for meetings and conferences.[8]
In October 2020, Sullivan announced that the diocese was filing forChapter 11 bankruptcy protection. He cited the financial effects of theCOVID-19 pandemic and sexual abuse lawsuit settlements as the causes.[9] He submitted his age-mandated retirement request the same year when he turned 75.
In 2023, Sullivan was part of the team appointed byPope Francis to investigate BishopJoseph Strickland of theDiocese of Tyler in Texas after Strickland criticized the pope.[10] Francis removed Strickland as bishop of Tyler on November 11, 2023.[11]
BishopJoseph A. Williams was named Sullivan's coadjutor in March 2024[12] and Pope Francis accepted Sullivan's resignation as bishop of Camden on March 17, 2025, his 80th birthday.[13]
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Bishop of Camden 2013–2025 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by – | Auxiliary Bishop of New York 2004–2013 | Succeeded by – |
