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Msgr. Robert A. Kurwicki to serve as Administrator of Diocese of Jefferson City
Msgr. Robert A. Kurwicki has been elected to serve as the administrator of the Diocese of Jefferson City. He is the first to hold the title of administrator in the 70-year history of our local Church.
The election was held by ballot at the rectory of the Cathedral of Saint Joseph with the eight priests of the diocesan College of Consultors participating. It follows the installation of the Most Reverend Shawn McKnight as Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas on May 27, 2025. Archbishop McKnight’s leadership of the Diocese of Jefferson City, which began in 2018, ceased when he assumed his new role in Kansas.
As administrator, Msgr. Kurwicki is charged with maintaining the essential operations of the diocese. According to Canon Law, a diocesan administrator may not enact major changes or initiatives, as those responsibilities are reserved for the next bishop, who will be appointed by Pope Leo XIV.
Msgr. Kurwicki, 65, was ordained a priest in 1985 at our Cathedral of Saint Joseph. He currently serves as pastor of St. Peter Parish in Jefferson City and was Vicar General under the previous Bishop. He resides at the St. Peter rectory in Jefferson City.
“I humbly accept the responsibility of serving as diocesan administrator of the Diocese of Jefferson City,” said Msgr. Kurwicki. “I thank the College of Consultors for their trust, and I ask for your prayers as we work together in the coming months and prepare for the appointment of the next Bishop of Jefferson City.”
Msgr. Kurwicki will continue his role as pastor of St. Peter while fulfilling the duties of diocesan administrator. His appointment will conclude upon the installation of the new bishop.
There is no official timeline for the selection of a new bishop. Once Pope Leo XIV has appointed a new bishop to lead the Diocese of Jefferson City, and he has accepted, the announcement will be published in the daily Vatican Bulletin. This could happen at any time. However, in recent similar situations in the United States, it has taken several months to a year for a new bishop to be named.