The Archdiocese of Chicago celebrated the funeral Mass for Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Birmingham on Oct. 7, 2023 at Holy Name Cathedral. A visitation and vigil service were held on Oct. 6, 2023 at the cathedral. (Karen Callaway and Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Auxiliary Bishop Robert Casey blesses the casket of Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Birmingham during the Rite of Reception at Holy Name Cathedral on Oct. 6, 2023. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Chicago Auxiliary Bishops Jeffrey Grob and Mark Bartosic place the pall over the casket of Bishop Kevin Birmingham during the Rite of Reception at Holy Name Cathedral on Oct. 6, 2023. The bishop was 51 and died a few days shy of his 52nd birthday. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Bishop Robert Casey, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Chicago, gives the homily during the Liturgy of the Word at the Rite of Reception at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago on Oct. 6, 2023. Bishop Kevin Birmingham passed away unexpectedly Oct. 2, 2023. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Oblate Sisters of Jesus the Priest pray before the casket of Bishop Birmingham during visitation at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago on Oct. 6, 2023. The sisters, who ministered at Niles College and Mundelein Seminary, arranged for his second Mass as a priest to be celebrated from the main altar at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. He made the trip to Mexico after his ordination to give thanks to Our Lady of Guadalupe, to whom he developed a devotion while he was in seminary, especially when he spent time in Morelia, Mexico, learning Spanish. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Worshippers attend the vigil on Oct. 6, 2023, at the cathedral. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Bishop Birmingham’s mother, Jeanette, and his brother Mark, a funeral director who arranged his brother's services, lay the pall over his casket before the start of his funeral Mass on Oct. 7, 2023, at Holy Name Cathedral. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Bishop Birmingham’s mother, Jeanette, and his brother Mark, a funeral director who arranged his brother's services, lay the pall over his casket before the start of his funeral Mass on Oct. 7, 2023 at Holy Name Cathedral. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Members of Bishop Birmingham’s family gather at the casket before it was closed for the start of the funeral Mass on Oct. 7, 2023 at the cathedral. Survivors include his mother Jeanette A. Birmingham and his siblings Gary Birmingham, Jeanne Williams, Joleen Fields, Donna Green, Matt Birmingham, Theresa Gill, Mark Birmingham and Brandon Birmingham. He was uncle of 23 nephews and nieces and great uncle of many. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Seminarians, deacons, priests and bishops process into the cathedral for the start of the funeral Mass. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Cardinal Cupich stops to embrace Bishop Birmingham’s mother, Jeanette, in the opening procession on Oct. 7, 2023, at the cathedral. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Family and friends fill the cathedral for the funeral. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Members of Bishop Birmingham’s family pray at the start of the funeral Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Priests from all over the Archdiocese of Chicago and beyond attend the funeral. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Auxiliary Bishop Robert Lombardo gives the homily during the funeral Mass. Bishop Lombardo was ordained a bishop with Bishop Birmingham and Auxiliary Bishop Jeffrey Grob. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Auxiliary Bishop Robert Lombardo gives the homily during the funeral Mass. Bishop Lombardo was ordained a bishop with Bishop Birmingham and Auxiliary Bishop Jeffrey Grob. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Cardinal Cupich accepts the gifts from Bishop Birmingham's siblings. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Cardinal Cupich raises the cup. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Fathers Marek Smolka and William Corcoran, interim vicars for the Archdiocese of Chicago, and the archdiocese’s auxiliary bishops join Cardinal Cupich for the Eucharistic prayer during the funeral Mass on Oct. 7, 2023, at the cathedral. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Priests seated in pews join the cardinal in the Eucharistic prayer on Oct. 7, 2023, at the cathedral. Hundreds of priests and visiting bishops joined the cardinal and auxiliary bishops to celebrate the life and work of Bishop Birmingham. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Members of the congregation pray the Our Father during the funeral Mass on Oct. 7, 2023, at the cathedral. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Members of Bishop Birmingham's family share the sign of peace during the funeral Mass on Oct. 7, 2023, at the cathedral. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Bishop Robert Casey and Bishop Jeffrey Grob distribute Communion during the funeral Mass on Oct. 7, 2023, at the cathedral. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic
Cardinal Cupich incenses the casket during the concluding rite. “He made unity in the church and in the human family a priority, unafraid to step into the fray and call for calm,” Cardinal Cupich said. “And so it is, even in death, he brings us together this day, his parting gift to us, to remind us how fragile we all are, how much we need each other, how much we need to pay attention to what really counts, lest we overcomplicate our lives.” (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Fathers Marek Smolka and William Corcoran, interim vicars for the Archdiocese of Chicago, and Chicago auxiliary bishops join Cardinal Cupich for the Final Commendation at the end of the funeral Mass. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Cardinal Cupich prays during the Prayer of Commendation at the end of the funeral Mass on Oct. 7, 2023, at the cathedral. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Cardinal Cupich leads the procession to the place of committal at the end of the funeral Mass for his friend Bishop Kevin Birmingham. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Pallbearers and family members escort the body of Bishop Birmingham out of the cathedral on Oct. 7, 2023. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Left, Father William Corcoran, interim vicar; Bishop Robert Casey; and Bishop Mark Bartosic wait to join Cardinal Cupich outside the cathedral following the funeral Mass on Oct. 7, 2023. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Bishops from the Archdiocese of Chicago and elsewhere join Cardinal Cupich in greeting the body of Bishop Birmingham during the procession to the place of committal on Oct. 7, 2023, at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. More than a hundred priests and visiting bishops joined the cardinal and auxiliary bishops to celebrate the life and work of Bishop Birmingham in the archdiocese and beyond. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Bishop Kevin's mother, Jeanette, and his sisters watch as the body is placed into the hearse outside Holy Name Cathedral on Oct. 7, 2023. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
Pallbearers place the body of Bishop Kevin into the hearse outside Holy Name Cathedral on Oct. 7, 2023. Bishop Birmingham was buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip. (Deacon Randy Belice/Chicago Catholic)
