John Huston Ricard

John Huston Ricard, S.S.J. (born February 29, 1940) is an American Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee from 1997 to 2011 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore from 1984 to 1997.

Ricard was elected as superior general of the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart in August 2019. He was reelected in 2023.

Early life and education
Born on February 29, 1940, in New Roads, Louisiana, John Ricard is of Creole descent. After graduating from Xavier University Preparatory School in New Orleans in 1958, he joined the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, entering the Mary Immaculate Novitiate in Walden, New York. Ricard then attended Epiphany Apostolic College in Newburgh, New York. He completed his theological studies at St. Joseph's Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Priestly ministry
On May 25, 1968. Ricard was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Robert Tracy for the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Ricard's first assignment was as associate pastor at St. Peter Claver Parish in New Orleans. In 1970, he earned a masters degree from Tulane University in New Orleans.

In 1972, Ricard was assigned as pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish, then in 1975 at Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Parish, both in Washington, D.C. He also served as an instructor at the National Catholic School of Social Service at the Catholic University of America in Washington from 1976 to 1978. In 1979, Ricard was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Washington. He was awarded a doctorate from Catholic University in 1983. He also studied at the Washington School for Psychotherapy and for a time worked as a psychotherapist in Southeast Washington, D.C.

Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore
On May 25, 1984, Pope John Paul II appointed Ricard as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and titular bishop of Rucuma. He was consecrated on July 2, 1984, at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore by Archbishop William Borders.

In 1987, Ricard was instrumental in the revival of the Colored Catholic Congress movement, being the legal representative for the National Black Catholic Congress upon its incorporation. He served as NBCC president from that time until 2019.

Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee
On January 20, 1997, John Paul II appointed Ricard as bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee. He was installed on March 13, 1997. On May 14, 2004, Ricard issued a statement denouncing the "abuse and torture" by US military forces of Iraqi combatants captured during the Iraqi insurgency.

During his episcopal tenures, Ricard served as chair of Catholic Relief Services from 1995 to 2002, member of Pontifical Council Cor Unum, and chair of the USCCB's Committee on Social Development and World Peace, Domestic Social Development from 1992 to 1995. He was also a member of the USCCB's Secretariat of Black Catholics.

On December 22, 2009, Ricard suffered a stroke and was treated at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital of Pensacola.

Retirement
Ricard tendered his letter of resignation as bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee to Pope Benedict XVI in February 2011, citing poor health. The pope accepted Ricard's resignation on March 11, 2011.

In June 2011, Ricard was appointed rector of St. Joseph's Seminary. In June 2019, Ricard was elected as superior general of the Josephites. On November 24, 2021, Ricard issued a statement with Archbishop Wilton Gregory calling for justice following the 2020 murder of Ahmaud Arbery by three men in a suburb of Brunswick, Georgia.