
James F. Checchio

James Francis Checchio (born April 21, 1966 in Camden, New Jersey) is an American Roman Catholic prelate. Bishop Checchio served as rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome from 2005 until 2016. On March 8, 2016, Pope Francis named him Bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen to succeed Bishop Paul Bootkoski. He was consecrated and installed as Bishop of Metuchen on May 3, 2016.
Education and priesthood.
Checchio was born in 1966 in Camden, where he attended Paul VI High School in Haddon Township, graduating in 1984. Afterward he went on to study at the University of Scranton, where he finished his bachelor's degree in 1988. He subsequently entered seminary and was sent to study at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. He finished his studies there with a licentiate in Canon Law in 1993.
He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, on June 20, 1992.
After completing his studies in Rome, Checchio returned to the Diocese of Camden, where he served as secretary to Bishop James T. McHugh, as well as vice chancellor of the diocese, director of communications, moderator of the diocesan curia, and episcopal vicar for administration of the diocese. He also served in the diocesan tribunal. He served as administrator of Holy Spirit Parish in Atlantic City, parochial vicar at St. Agnes Parish in Blackwood, and summer parochial vicar at St. Peter Parish in Merchantville and St. Peter Celestine Parish in Cherry Hill.
Checchio is an alumnus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, where he earned a doctorate in canon law in 1998. His dissertation was entitled "An Examination of General Absolution Using the Criteria of a Juridic Act". In 2004, he also earned a master's degree in business administration from La Salle University in Philadelphia.
In 2000, Checchio was appointed a Chaplain of His Holiness by Pope John Paul II, which granted him the title of "monsignor". He was appointed an honorary prelate by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011.
Rector of the North American College.
Prior to his assignment as rector of the North American College, Checchio served as vice rector there for three years. He was appointed rector on December 12, 2005 by the college's board of governors. His term as rector began on January 16, 2006. On November 23, 2015 it was announced that Checchio would be succeeded as rector by Father Peter C. Harman. Checchio's term as rector ended February 1, 2016, at which time he returned for service in his home diocese of Camden.
Bishop of Metuchen.
On March 8, 2016, Checchio was nominated to succeed to Bishop Paul Bootkoski as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen in New Jersey. His episcopal consecration and installation as the Bishop of Metuchen occurred on May 3, 2016, at the Church of the Sacred Heart in South Plainfield, New Jersey. The principal consecrator was John J. Myers, Archbishop of Newark, assisted by the outgoing Bishop of Metuchen, Paul G. Bootkoski; and Dennis J. Sullivan, the Bishop of Camden.