Roger Joseph Foys

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Bishop Roger Joseph Foys

Roger Jospeph Foys is the tenth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington. Foys was ordained a priest in 1973 in the Diocese of Steubenville in 1973; he served there until he was installed as Bishop of Covington on July 15, 2002.

[edit] Biography

On July 27, 1945, Roger Joseph Foys was born in Chicago, Illinois. He began his religious studies for the Diocese of Steubenville at St. John Vianney Seminary in Bloomingdale, Ohio, part of the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He completed his graduate studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and the Pontifical Gregorianum in Rome.

Bishop John King Mussio ordained Father Foys on May 16, 1973 in Holy Name Cathedral of Steubenville, Ohio. Throughout his years with the Diocese of Steubenville, Father Foys served as Diocesan Treasurer, Chairman of the Diocesan Presbyteral Council, and Moderator of the Curia. He was appointed Vicar General in 1982 and made a monsignor in 1987. He also taught Canon Law for one year at St. John Vianney Seminary. Pope John Paul II made him a Prelate of Honor in 1986 and a Protonotary Apostolic in 2001.

Monsignor Foys was appointed Bishop of Covington on May 31, 2002, and was ordained and installed at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption on July 15, 2002 [1].

[edit] Coat of arms

Bishop Foys's coat of arms

Bishop Roger Foys's coat of arms combines his own design with the design of the Diocese of Covington. The left side of the shield displays the diocesan design, commissioned by Bishop William Mulloy after the 1953 elevation of the diocese's Cathedral to the status of minor basilica by Pope Pius XII.

Imposed on the blue upper portion of the diocesan design is a gold fleur-de-lis within the arms of a silver crescent moon. Both are symbols of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patroness of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption. Below it is a red cross set against a white field. Upon the vertical beam of the cross, a gold sword points upwards, symbolizing Saint Paul, patron of the Diocese of Covington.

The right side of the shield is Bishop Foys's personal half, representing his life in the Diocese of Steubenville and his hopes for his ministry as Bishop of Covington. The white fleur-de-lis symbolizes not only Mary in this instance, but also the Cistercian Order and Blessed Roger Ellant. Saint Joseph is represented by a white lily in the lower half. These two symbols represent the Baptismal patrons of Bishop Foys. The red, white, and blue colors honor Bishop Foys' Slovenian heritage.

Above the shield is a gold processional Cross topped by a gallero, portraying the rank of bishop.

Below the shield is the Latin phrase Luceat Lux Vestra, Latin for Let your light shine (Matthew 5: 16). It is the episcopal motto by which Bishop Foys hopes to lead the diocese[2].