Joseph A. Williams

Joseph Andrew Williams (born May 2, 1974) is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Camden since 2025. He was an auxiliary bishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis from 2022 to 2024, when he was appointed coadjutor bishop of Camden.

Joseph Williams was born on May 2, 1974, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has eight siblings, one of whom, Peter Williams, is a priest in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Joseph Williams attended Saint Croix Catholic School in Stillwater, Minnesota, and graduated from Stillwater High School in 1992.^[1]

Williams studied at the University of Minnesota Morris (UMN–Morris) where he was a varsity tennis player and twice competed in the NCAA Division III men's tennis championships. He graduated from UMN–Morris with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996.^[2]

Williams continued his studies at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville, Ohio. While there, he decided to become a priest. He received a philosophy/pre-theology degree from the university in 1998 and then entered the Saint Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he was awarded a Master of Divinity degree in 2002.^[1]

Williams was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis by Archbishop Harry Flynn on May 28, 2002, at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in St. Paul, Minnesota.^[3] The archdiocese assigned Williams as parochial vicar at the Cathedral of Saint Paul from 2002 to 2004 and Divine Mercy in Faribault from 2004 to 2005.^[2] In 2005, Williams was appointed pastor of Saint Mathias Parish in Hampton, Minnesota, and Saint Mary parish in New Trier, Minnesota. He left both parishes in 2008 to become pastor of Saint Stephen Parish in Minneapolis.

During the 2020 George Floyd protests in Minneapolis, Williams claims to have responded to a cry for help in the middle of the night from a parishioner family whose apartment building was in danger of burning down. He drove to the apartment and welcomed them into the parish rectory for safety.^[4]

Pope Francis appointed Williams as an auxiliary bishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis on December 10, 2021.^{[2] [1] [5]} On January 25, 2022, Williams was consecrated as a bishop by Archbishop Bernard Hebda at the Cathedral of Saint Paul, with Bishops Richard Pates and Andrew H. Cozzens acting as co-consecrators.^[3] During his time as auxiliary bishop, Williams led initiatives for Latino ministry and the implementation of the 2022 Archdiocesan synod.

Pope Francis named Williams as Coadjutor Bishop of Camden on May 21, 2024.^{[6] [7]} He was received with a Mass of Welcome on September 10, 2024.^{[8] [9]} Williams became the ninth Bishop of Camden on March 17, 2025, upon Bishop Dennis Sullivan's retirement.^[10]

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden Official Site
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Official Site

• 1974 births
• Living people
• American Roman Catholic priests
• Bishops appointed by Pope Francis
• Clergy from Minneapolis
• University of Minnesota alumni
• Franciscan University of Steubenville alumni
• University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) alumni
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

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