Fr. Tim Kitzke named rector of Milwaukee's Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist

The Very Rev. Timothy Kitzke has been named rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, the seat of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Kitzke is a well-known Milwaukee priest who previously served as the archdiocese's vicar for urban ministry.

Kitzke's plate will be full. He will continue in his roles as pastor of the "family of four" parishes located downtown, on the east side and in Riverwest. They are Old St. Mary; Saints Peter and Paul; Our Lady of Divine Providence's St. Casimir location; and Three Holy Women (which comprises three churches on its own).

Archbishop Jerome Listecki continues to lead the 10-county archdiocese from the cathedral.

Kitzke will take over as rector from Bishop Jeff Haines, who has held the position in addition to his bishop duties. Haines' term as rector ends in June.

The current vice rector of the cathedral, the Rev. Jose Gonzalez, will be leaving in June for another assignment. The archdiocese said it plans to name someone in his place to assist Kitzke in leading the cathedral parish.

“As our Mother Church, I want the Cathedral parish to be a model parish for the Archdiocese, and I want our central city parishes to be models of pastoral care and evangelization for those in our community who are often underserved,” Listecki said in a statement. “With Fr. Tim’s leadership and the support of the parish leaders and staff, along with the archdiocesan staff, I am confident we will continue our commitment to serving the People of God through these vibrant parishes.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Archdiocese names new rector of downtown cathedral