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.


Donald Edward DeGrood
Bishop of Sioux Falls
DioceseSioux Falls
AppointedDecember 12, 2019
InstalledFebruary 13, 2020
PredecessorPaul J. Swain
Previous post(s)Pastor at St. John the Baptist Parish in Savage, MN
Orders
OrdinationMay 31, 1997
by Harry Joseph Flynn
ConsecrationFebruary 13, 2020
by Bernard Hebda, Paul J. Swain, and Andrew H. Cozzens
Personal details
Born
Donald Edward DeGrood

(1965-02-14) February 14, 1965 (age 59)
MottoGod Is Love / All in now, so we are all in Heaven
Styles of
Donald Edward DeGrood
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleBishop

Biography

edit

Early life

edit

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 University of Saint Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, DeGrood decided to enter 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 Land O’ Lakes Agricultural Cooperative in Minneapolis. In 1993, DeGrood decided to pursue the priesthood at the Saint Paul Seminary in St. Paul in 1993, receiving a Master of Divinity degree there in 1997.[2][1]

Priesthood

edit

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

edit

On December 12, 2019, DeGrood was named bishop of Sioux Falls by Pope Francis. Because the quinquennial visit ad limina visits of the United States bishops were ongoing during this period, DeGrood was able to visit Rome and meet with Francis in between his appointment and consecration on January 13, 2020. DeGrood was consecrated as a bishop and installed on February 13, 2020, by Archbishop Bernard Hebda, with Bishop Paul J. Swain and Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens as co-consecrators, at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Sioux Falls.[2][5] DeGrood's 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

edit

References

edit
  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.
edit

Episcopal succession

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