Biography Of Most Rev. Joseph M. Siegel
Most Rev. Joseph M. Siegel, 54, was born in Joliet Ill., on July 18, 1963, and was raised on a farm in Lockport Township. He is the youngest of nine children of Francis and Marie (Wallace) Siegel. He received his sacraments and attended grammar school at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus in Joliet.
After graduating from St. Charles Borromeo High School Seminary, he studied at Joliet Junior College and then completed his college education at St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad. He was then sent to the North American College in Rome for his theological studies, attending the Gregorian and the Angelicum Universities.
He was ordained a priest for the Joliet Diocese on March 4, 1988, and was assigned to St. Isidore Parish in Bloomingdale. While serving at St. Isidore, he completed his Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill. Other parochial assignments in the Joliet Diocese include St. Mary Immaculate in Plainfield, St. Mary Nativity in Joliet and the Cathedral of St. Raymond, where he also served as Diocesan Master of Ceremonies. In 2004, he was named pastor of Visitation Parish in Elmhurst.
Bishop Siegel was a member of the Diocesan Presbyteral Council for nine years, including three years as chairman, and was appointed to the Diocesan Board of Consultors. He also served as Director of Continuing Formation for Priests, a member of the Diocesan Vocation Board, the Priest Personnel Board and Dean of Eastern Will County.
Within the Catholic Conference of Illinois, he served on the Executive Committee as a priest representative and was chairman of the Catholics for Life Department. He chaired the Steering Committee for the Joliet Diocesan Year of the Eucharist and Eucharistic Congress, and was a member of the Bishops’ Respect Life Advisory Board. He is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre (Knight Commander with Star).
On Oct. 28, 2009, Pope Benedict nominated Father Siegel as Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet, and he was ordained a bishop at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus by Bishop J. Peter Sartain on Jan. 19, 2010. He remained pastor of Visitation Parish until June 2010, when he assumed his full-time episcopal responsibilities and was named Vicar General.
On Dec. 3, 2010, Bishop Siegel was elected Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Joliet when Bishop Sartain was installed as Archbishop of Seattle.
In July 2011, Bishop R. Daniel Conlon became the fifth Bishop of Joliet and appointed Bishop Siegel as his Vicar General. He also is Vice-Chair of the Joliet Catholic Charities Board of Directors and serves on several Diocesan committees and boards.
Bishop Siegel has been the Illinois State Chaplain for the Knights of Columbus since 2009 and High Spiritual Director for the Catholic Order of Foresters since 2011.
Bishop Siegel currently serves on the USCCB Committee for Divine Worship. Previously, he was the Chairman for Region VII and the region’s representative on the Board of Directors of the Pontifical North American College.
On Oct 18, Pope Francis appointed him to serve as the sixth Bishop of Evansville. He will be installed on Dec. 15 at St. Benedict Cathedral.
Bishop Siegel has a reading knowledge of Spanish and Italian. He enjoys Cubs baseball, classical music, reading (especially history), and playing the piano and organ.
