It is with a heavy heart the Catholic Foundation shares the news of the passing of Bishop Robert J. Banks on January 25, 2026.
Bishop Banks was 97 years old at his passing from this life and served as our diocesan Bishop from December 5th of 1990 until October 10th of 2003. His motto was, “Blessed be God forever.”
Bishop Banks lived a wonderful prayer-filled life and accomplished so much in his 97 years. Seven years after he arrived in our Diocese as the 10th Bishop, he established the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Green Bay alongside Don Long and founding Executive Director, Cindi Brawner.
Bishop Banks’ vision for the Catholic Foundation was to have an organization through which Catholic families could leave bequests and establish endowments to benefit our parishes, Catholic schools, and diocesan ministries. In my conversations toward the end of his life, he was so pleased that so many people have partnered with the Foundation in their estate plans. What a wonderful legacy the Catholic Foundation is to Bishop Banks.
Cindi Brawner, Catholic Foundation founding Executive Director shared, “Working with Bishop Banks was a great blessing for me. As the shepherd of our Diocese he was kind, compassionate, willing to listen and consider new ideas. He encouraged me to speak up and asked me ‘what do women think about this’, I always said I could only speak for myself, not for all women, but it was so nice he asked and heard my point of view.”
“I have so many fond memories of Bishop Banks not only as a mentor and a friend, but also as someone who lived a deep life of faith. For me he certainly serves as a wonderful example of someone who loved Jesus and shared Jesus with everyone he encountered,” said Josh Diedrich, Catholic Foundation Executive Director.
In addition to founding the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Green Bay, Bishop Banks shared the love of Jesus and served the Church here in northeastern Wisconsin in a multitude of ways.
From renovating Camp Tekakwitha, to reorganizing Catholic Charities, to strengthening lay ministry formation and the diaconate, Bishop Banks did so much to create the bright future he envisioned. Many of the gifts we see today are a result of his work. All parish employees now have access to a pension plan thanks to his efforts, and he served in the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA). This is just the beginning of the many ways Bishop Banks has supported us.
Bishop was truly a gift to our Diocese. His work led to a bright future for thousands of people here in northeastern Wisconsin, and the Catholic Foundation is grateful for his dedicated service.
Bishop David Ricken has announced the diocesan campus will be closed on Friday, February 6th, in honor of the life and legacy of Bishop Robert J. Banks.
Visitation begins at 8:00 am, with the funeral mass at 11:00 am, at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral on February 6. A livestream will also be available on the Diocese of Green Bay social media and is also available at dioc.io/bishopbanks.
Please join me in holding Bishop Banks, his friends, family, and our entire diocese in prayer.
Note: Excerpts for this blog come from a Nov. 25, 2003, Diocese of Green Bay Press Release by Renee Bauer.