Donald DeGrood

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Andrew H. Cozzens
Personal details
Born
Donald Edward DeGrood

(1965-02-14) February 14, 1965 (age 59)
Previous post(s)Pastor at St. John the Baptist Parish in Savage, MN
MottoGod Is Love / All in now, so we are all in Heaven
Styles of
Donald Edward DeGrood
Reference style
Spoken style
Your Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Donald Edward DeGrood (born February 14, 1965) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Sioux Falls in South Dakota since 2019.

Biography

Early life

Donald DeGrood was born in Faribault, Minnesota, on February 14, 1965, the fourth of five sons of Robert and Joanne DeGrood. He grew up in Faribault on his family's farm. He finished Bethlehem Academy High School in Faribault in 1983.[1]

While attending the

Saint John Vianney College Seminary in Saint Paul. He graduated from Saint John in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy, but chose not to pursue the priesthood at that time.[1]

For the next six years, DeGrood worked first as a shoe salesman and manager, then as a feed specialist for the

Saint Paul Seminary in St. Paul in 1993, receiving a Master of Divinity degree there in 1997.[2][1]

Priesthood

DeGrood was ordained a priest at St. Mary's Chapel at the Saint Paul Seminary for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis on May 31, 1997, by Archbishop Harry Flynn.[3] The diocese assigned DeGrood as associate pastor at All Saints Parish in Lakeville, Minnesota.[1]

The diocese moved DeGrood from All Saints in 2000 to become spiritual director at Saint John Vianney College Seminary. He left the seminary in 2004 after his appointment as pastor of St. Peter's Parish in Forest Lake, Minnesota. DeGrood served at St. Peter's for the next nine years.[2][4]

In 2013, DeGrood became pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in St. Paul, serving there until 2015. A parishioner who had been sexually abused by a priest in that parish later said that DeGrood was "pivotal" in his healing process.[2] While serving at Blessed Sacrament, he also worked as vicar for clergy for the archdiocese. From July 2017 until he was appointed as bishop, DeGrood served as pastor of Saint John the Baptist Parish in Savage, Minnesota.[2][1]

Bishop of Sioux Falls

On December 12, 2019, DeGrood was named bishop of Sioux Falls by

crosier
was carved by one of his brothers from a tree on their family farm.

In July 2022, DeGrood issued a new policy for the treatment of non-binary and transgender students at the diocesan Catholic schools. The policy restricted them to bathrooms corresponding to their birth gender and prohibited staff and other students from addressing them with their preferred pronouns.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Bishop Donald E. DeGrood - Office of the Bishop". Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  2. ^ a b c d e Wiering, Maria (December 12, 2019). "Father Donald DeGrood, pastor in Savage, named next bishop of Sioux Falls". TheCatholicSpirit.com. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  3. ^ "Bishop Donald Edward DeGrood [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  4. ^ Brockhaus, Hannah (December 12, 2019). "Pope Francis taps Minnesota farm boy to lead Sioux Falls diocese". Catholic News Agency.
  5. ^ Mitchell, Trevor J. "Catholics welcome new bishop, who says he's ready to call Sioux Falls 'my diocese'". Argus Leader. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  6. ^ "CONFORMING WITH THE CHURCH'S TEACHING ON HUMAN SEXUALITY IN EDUCATION SETTINGS" (PDF). Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls. July 1, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2024.

External links

Episcopal succession

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Sioux Falls
2020-Present
Succeeded by
Incumbent