When you speak with Bishop Kulick, it doesn’t take long to recognize what fuels him. Woven through every story is something personal, an unmistakable enthusiasm for heritage, history, and the people and traditions that shaped him. A native of Leechburg, Pennsylvania, he became the first priest from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Greensburg to be appointed its bishop. Named by Pope Francis in December 2020 and ordained to the episcopacy in February 2021 at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral, Bishop Kulick now shepherds approximately 120,000 Catholics across four counties in western Pennsylvania. The diocese includes 78 parishes served by 72 active priests.
He describes the role of bishop in three simple but profound responsibilities: to teach, to sanctify, and to govern. He teaches through religious education and formation. He sanctifies through the sacraments and the liturgy, especially the Eucharist. He governs through pastoral leadership and the careful administration of diocesan life. Accountable to the Holy Father, he serves as chief shepherd, guiding both the spiritual welfare of the faithful and the practical needs of the local Church.
Formed by Faith and Slovak Roots
Bishop Kulick’s own faith was formed in the former St. Martha Church in Leechburg, a Slovak parish established in 1911 by Jednota to serve Slovak immigrants. The parish was nearly 90% Slovak. It was there that he learned his prayers, absorbed the faith of immigrants and first-generation Slovak-Americans, and eventually offered his first Mass as a priest.
In many ways, he was born into the fraternal spirit. His parents purchased a Jednota life insurance policy for him before he was even born — a policy that once covered both expectant mother and child. He shares that he still has his original payment book. For more than 25 years, he has served the First Catholic Slovak Union as chaplain and now as Society Protector. In that role, he provides guidance to officers and members, helping ensure that Catholic identity remains at the heart of the organization. He offers advisement on matters of faith and morals and supports the fraternal mission pastorally and spiritually.
The 53rd Quadrennial Convention
The Convention holds special meaning for him. He attended for many years as a delegate and now returns as a keynote speaker. What does he love most about it? “Connectivity is often local,” he explains. “But the convention brings us all together. I have many Jednota friends from Canada that I might never have met.”
He delights in seeing multiple generations of families represented growing into leadership roles and continuing the same living tradition. Watching members mature, step forward, and take ownership of the society’s future brings him great joy. He values the delegates who gather not only to represent their branches, but to strengthen and preserve the organization for generations to come. The Convention, he believes, is one of our greatest tools for remaining vibrant and relevant in a changing world.
A Man Who Loves History
Spend time with Bishop Kulick, and another theme emerges — his unmistakable enthusiasm for history. 2026 is a year rich in milestones for him: his 60th birthday, the fifth anniversary of his episcopal ordination (celebrated February 11), the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Greenburg, the 250th anniversary of the United States, and the 100th anniversary of Pontiac.
Yes — Pontiac. If you’ve ever heard him speak about cars, you might think you were talking to a teenager. His lifelong love of Pontiac vehicles is well known. Many are familiar with his 1966 Pontiac LeMans — the car that brought him home from the hospital as a newborn and later became a cherished gift from his grandmother.
But his love of preservation led him further back in time. Two years ago, he fulfilled a long-held dream by purchasing a 1926 Pontiac — the first model year ever produced. For years, he admired it from afar. He was friends with the man who restored it and had a standing offer to purchase it when the time was right.
When that time came, he became its steward. He has since lent the 1926 model to the Pontiac Transportation Museum for the brand’s 100th anniversary celebration. The museum also houses the final Pontiac model assembled in 2010 — bookends of a century of craftsmanship. Nearly 1,000 Pontiacs are expected to line up chronologically for a celebratory parade this summer. For Bishop Kulick, it is more than nostalgia. It is about honoring legacy — preserving something valuable so that others may appreciate it.
Bishop Kulick has long advocated for the establishment of a Slovak-American museum in the United States. While he is still pursuing that passion, Bishop Kulick has recently been able to help preserve Slovak-American culture by assisting Slovak historian Martin Javor in curating artifacts for his newly established Museum of Emigration from Slovakia to North America in Ťahyňa, Slovakia. In the past few months, Bishop Kulick has worked with Professor Javor to rescue stained-glass windows from closed Slovak-American churches which are being built into a beautiful shrine on the grounds of the museum.
He will also lead a pilgrimage to Slovakia this fall from August 23 – September 3, reconnecting descendants with the faith and culture of their ancestors. If anyone is interested in the pilgrimage, please contact Bishop Kulick.
A Shepherd Who Honors the Past and Inspires the Future
As we gather this June for our Convention, we will hear from our Protector who understands that faith is not merely preserved in books or buildings — it is carried in people. It is renewed in every generation. It is strengthened when we come together. Perhaps no image captures him better this year than this: concluding our Convention with the Jednota family he loves, then heading straight to Pontiac’s 100th anniversary celebration, where his 1926 model stands proudly on display.
In both places, he is doing the same thing. Honoring the past. Celebrating community. And ensuring that what we have inherited is preserved, strengthened, and passed on for generations to come.
Bishop Kulick’s Lenten Message
As we celebrate Easter, Bishop Kulick’s Lenten message continues to resonate. In this 75th anniversary year of the Diocese of Greensburg, he reminded the faithful that Lent is not merely a set of devotions, but a gift — an invitation to be conformed more closely to Christ. Inspired by the message of Pope Leo XIV, he emphasized that fasting is not only external, but interior. It creates space for God’s Word, for charity, and for mercy to flourish. He encouraged the faithful to fast not only from food, but from rash judgments, unkind words, quick criticism, gossip, and the impulse to speak before listening. In a world filled with distraction, he suggested we also fast from unnecessary noise and technology, learning to become more attentive to God and to one another. But he cautioned that removing distractions is not enough — the space created must be filled with Christ through the Eucharist, confession, Scripture, and prayer. That is the journey from Lent to Easter: the desert gives way to resurrection, and hearts renewed in Christ become witnesses to joy.