Priests, bishops, seminarians and lay faithful gathered from across the state and country for the late bishop’s funeral Mass and Solemn Vespers service
By William Van de Planque | On Mission
GREEN BAY — Bishop Robert Banks, the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay, entered the mother church of the diocese, St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, for the last time on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
Bishop Banks first entered the Cathedral in 1990, when he was installed as bishop of the diocese. On that day, he sprinkled himself and the assembly with holy water. As his coffin was processed through the same doors on Thursday, his coffin was sprinkled with holy water, as a symbol of the share in the Lord’s death and resurrection Christians receive through the Sacrament of Baptism.
The Reception of the Body and Solemn Vespers service took place the evening before public visitation and the funeral Mass for Bishop Banks, where parish priests, religious brothers and sisters and bishops came from all over the state of Wisconsin and the country to honor and pray for him.
The Kairos Year seminarians were present as well as seminarians of the Diocese of Green Bay, who traveled from St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee and Conception Seminary College in Missouri.
Bishops in attendance included: Archbishop Emeritus Jerome Listecki, Diocese of Milwaukee, Bishop Emeritus David Zubik, Diocese of Pittsburg, who succeeded Bishop Banks as the 11th bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay; native sons of the Diocese of Green Bay: Bishop John Doerfler, Diocese of Marquette, Bishop Daniel Felton, Diocese of Duluth; bishops of the province: Bishop James Powers, Diocese of Superior, Auxiliary Bishop Jeffrey Haines, Diocese of Milwaukee, Auxiliary Bishop James Schuerman, Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
Newly elected Abbot Bradley Vanden Branden of St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere as well as Byzantine Catholic Abbot Moses of Holy Resurrection Monastery were also in attendance.
Bishop Banks was a priest and auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston before being assigned as bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay.
Msgr. Robert Oliver, the vicar general of the Archdiocese of Boston, traveled to Green Bay to represent the archdiocese at the funeral Mass. He brought with him the “condolences and prayerful remembrances of Archbishop Richard Henning, Archbishop of Boston,” Bishop Ricken said in his opening remarks.
Also representing the Archdiocese of Boston, Fr. William Devine, a decorated retired U.S. Navy chaplain, a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston and a longtime friend of Bishop Banks.
In accord with the tradition of the funeral Mass liturgical celebration, the Book of the Gospels and a cross is placed on the coffin, closed and situated between the altar and the faithful gathered.
“In life, Bishop Banks cherished the Gospel of Christ, and he was charged, with his ordination as bishop, with the preaching of the Word of God with all patience and sound teaching,” Bishop Ricken said, as he placed the Book of the Gospels on the coffin.
Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Robert Morneau, who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay from 1978 to 2013, gave the homily at the funeral Mass.
“Bishop Banks had a message for us today, and I am convinced — with a metaphysical certitude — that it would be these words from St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians: ‘Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God’,” said Bishop Morneau in his homily.
Bishop Banks was ordained a priest in Rome on December 20, 1952. For 74 years of his life, he celebrated the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
“At the center of Bishop Banks’ spirituality was the Eucharist,” Bishop Morneau said.
Bishop Banks, a bishop for 41 years, was ordained a bishop on September 19, 1985, by Cardinal Bernard Law at Holy Cross Cathedral in Boston, Massachusetts. He was installed as the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay on December 5, 1990.
To see more photos of the Reception of the Body and Solemn Vespers service, visit: onmiss.io/bishopbanksvespers
To see more photos of the funeral Mass, visit: onmiss.io/banksfuneralmass
Watch the Mass of Christian Burial here on the page below or visit: dioc.io/bishopbanks