Pope Leo XIV meets with bishops from Peru during their ad limina visit to Rome at the Vatican Jan. 30, 2026. CNS PHOTO | VATICAN MEDIA

“Unless the Apostolic See has established otherwise, during the year in which he is bound to submit a report to the Supreme Pontif, a diocesan bishop is to go to Rome to venerate the tombs of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and to present himself to the Roman Pontiff.”  Canon 400

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

The bishops of the 18 dioceses of the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana have been summoned to come to Rome in April of 2027 to fulfill their ad limina apostolorum (to the threshold of the apostles). By tradition this reporting and pilgrimage are expected once every five years. 

The Covid-19 pandemic, the 2025 Jubilee of Hope, and Pope Francis’ illnesses of his later years upended the scheduling of bishops from around the world. It was my privilege to fulfill this obligation and meet Pope Benedict in 2012 in my third year as bishop and then to repeat this with Pope Francis in 2019.

As Canon 400 specifies, the centerpiece of the pilgrimage is the opportunity to visit and pray at the tombs of both St. Peter and St. Paul. We will concelebrate Mass at the tomb of St. Peter, which lies in a crypt beneath the grand altar of St. Peter’s Basilica. We will visit the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls and concelebrate Mass at the tomb of St. Paul. 

When we met with Pope Francis in 2019, he afforded our group more than two hours for questions and conversation. From what I have heard Pope Leo XIV is approaching our gatherings similarly. It will be distinctive, as American bishops, to converse with the first U.S.-born pope. As a native of Chicago, he will have a clear understanding of the regions of the United States, even though most of his years as a priest and bishop have been spent in either Peru or Italy.

In the coming months our diocesan staff and offices will be compiling a Quinquennial Report on the work and ministry of our Diocese of Owensboro. While we look back to previous reports the narrative may remain much the same. However, I anticipate reporting some interesting developments of recent years.

• In December of 2021 western Kentucky experienced widespread tragedy when tornados wreaked havoc across a 200-mile swath of our diocese. Resurrection Catholic Church in Dawson Springs was totaled by the damage and ultimately demolished. After more than three years a new church was erected and consecrated. Additionally, the school building of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Mayfield was deemed a total loss and today a new parish center has been built.
• In the aftermath of the storm our diocese received gifts from all over the country of more the $10 million to assist local communities in recovery. Our Catholic Charities became the lead agent in many counties in assisting with the immediate needs of shelter after the storm and the rebuilding of dozens of homes over the years. This work continues to this day.
• As the task that Catholic Charities accomplished in assisting communities with rebuilding after the storms was completed, the Catholic Charities mission was redefined to largely serve immigrants. This has been an especially prophetic witness in the United States as anti-immigrant and anti-refugee sentiments have become more pronounced. We have found our parishes assisting families impacted by widespread deportations.
• Like most of the United States the makeup of our diocese continues to be changed by the influx of new migrants. Spanish-speaking immigrants have come from Mexico and Central and South America. Assimilating their religious and cultural practices in our parishes has been a challenge and a blessing. We have also received immigrants and refugees from Myanmar and multiple African nations. Our annual Chrism Mass has become an occasion to recognize and celebrate our diversity.
• In 2026, 27 of the 82 priests in our diocese were born somewhere other than the United States. We have priests from seven different nations and as bishop I have visited those lands and, in most cases, met the families of our priests. In 2026 we have welcomed two seminarians from Vietnam who will study to become priests of our diocese.
• The diocese will report on the financial blow inflicted when we learned that both our lay employees and our priests pension plans were critically underfunded. With sacrifice we have committed the diocese to honoring in full the pensions that have been earned and promised. Over a 25-year period we are rebuilding the pension funds. Every parish and school has contributed to this effort in forfeiting more than $12 million received through a program rewarding non-profit groups who experienced financial losses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The diocese continues to recognize fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life as a core value to evangelization. After a drought we are pleased to report some growth in men who are native to our diocese entering the seminary. While some religious communities continue to welcome young women entering religious life, the overall trend across religious institutes remains one of fewer new vocations.
• The diocese has sought to make the emphasis on synodality urged by both Pope Francis and Pope Leo. When faced with the crisis in our pension programs I and other diocesan leaders conducted regional synodal sessions seeking input on our plan of recovery.
• When the American Church was shaken by what became known as the McCarrick scandal in 2018, synodal sessions were conducted across the diocese of give the faithful opportunities to vent their frustration and to propose healing remedies.

This is just a brief preview of the report that I will present to the Holy See next April. When the full report has been made we will make it available through our diocesan website.

Please pray for me and all the bishops entrusted with this responsibility. When I find myself at the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul I will have you and our shared ministry with me.

Most Reverend William F. Medley
Diocese of Owensboro

Originally printed in the August 2026 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.