Sitting at a meeting of the Dunrovin Board of Directors, Bishop James Powers of the Diocese of Superior is a man of few words. But those words are filled with wisdom and authority. Bishop Powers protects the Catholic faith within the Dunrovin mission. He also shares his passion for people to experience the love and mercy of God.
Jim Powers, raised on a Wisconsin farm, was ordained a priest in 1990. When Fr. Powers received the phone call in 2016 informing him that Pope Francis had named him a bishop, he humbly remarked that he only felt very unprepared. In the absence of Bishop Peter Christensen, assigned to an Idaho diocese, Fr. Powers held the seat of the Superior Diocese administrator “just keeping the lights on until the next bishop came along.”
This signature humility pairs well with Bishop Powers’ 80% Irish heritage. You are apt to hear his hearty laugh and see a glint in his eyes when visiting with this good man. And visiting with his people, his flock in Scriptural terms, may be Bishop Powers’ (second) favorite part of the priestly call.
The best part of being a bishop/priest is celebrating the sacraments. [And a close second] is the daily contact with your parishioners, the connection of lives that God gives you. The people who’ve been put in my life would never have been part of my life without the priesthood.”
Bishop Powers
When a man becomes a Roman Catholic bishop, he designs a coat of arms, something that is very personal and tells a story about each bishop. What can we learn about Bishop Powers from his coat of arms? The green trefoil depicts his Irish heritage and the patronage of St. Patrick. The black scallop shell depicts his patron, St. James. Five diamond shapes within a red cross depict his parents and siblings.
Bishop Powers loves his people and heritage. In his coat of arms, Bishop Powers chose colors of blue and gold and the fleur-de-lis, all symbols of the French missionaries who brought the Catholic Faith to the Great Lakes region of North America, particularly to the area now known as the Diocese of Superior.
A blue quadrant signifies Lake Superior, the sky, and nature – all a nod to his upbringing on a Wisconsin (God’s country) farm. An eagle in a red quadrant suggests a deep love for America and an eagle symbolizes strength:
But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
Isaiah 40:31
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint.”
How appropriate for the role of a bishop within our church! Moving from the thought of soaring like an eagle to servant leadership, what does Bishop Powers say about servant hearts, the core of the Dunrovin LEAD program for youth? First, he is quite thoughtful and reflective.
“How important a genuine servant heart is! The importance of trying to be that presence of Christ to all they [Dunrovin Servant Leaders] come into contact with. Without a servant heart, it is easy to pick and choose, easy to judge. And so many times the judgments we make, it’s us that we’re cheating.”
This generosity of heart exemplifies Brother I. Damian Brown, FSC. The latter dreamed of retreat centers for boys, students of the Lasallian schools, spaces where they could make retreats during high school. Dunrovin gratefully offers the 2025 Br. I. Damian Award to Bishop Powers in recognition of his years on the Board of Directors. Amid a busy authoritative role, he embraces the Dunrovin mission with generosity of time, talent, and treasure.
With our deepest thanks to you, dearest Bishop Powers.
Read more here: Bishop James Powers | Diocese of Superior | Superior, WI