Statements and Documents
Bishop Paul Swain’s Statements and Documents
It is a great pleasure to introduce to you the soon to be 9th Bishop of Sioux Falls, Bishop-elect Donald DeGrood from the Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis our neighbor. I say that it is a pleasure not only because I can now actually retire, but because the diocese will have a discerning bishop who is well-respected as a seasoned, prayerful, compassionate and upbeat priest who loves Christ and His Church. Bishop-Elect DeGrood, Pope Francis has appointed you to lead a very special diocese. Here in South Dakota the state is divided by the Missouri River as are the dioceses of Sioux Falls and Rapid City familiarly referred to as East River and West River. East River our diocese is 35,000 square miles. Get ready for some significant car…
Bishop Paul J. Swain, Bishop of Sioux Falls, and the Very Reverend Michel Mulloy, Diocesan Administrator of Rapid City. Pursuant to a Warrant of Execution, today the state of South Dakota intends to execute inmate Charles Rhines. On this occasion, as the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sioux Falls and the Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Rapid City, we repeat once more the Church’s perennial call for a culture of life, founded upon a firm insistence that the life of every human person is of inestimable value, whether young or old, ill or well, rich or poor, prisoner or free. Consequently, in light of the legion attacks on human life in the modern era, the Church’s awareness of the urgent need to proclaim the full truth of…
May I first say how sad I was to learn of the destruction caused by the recent tornadoes. But also how impressed I am with the sacrificial efforts of so many to assure continued and new patient care despite the destruction from the September 10 storms. It reflects the resiliency with which Avera staff have gone the extra mile to fulfill your mission to carry on the healing ministry of Christ. Thank you for that sacrifice and that witness. Be assured of my continued prayers in this time of restoration and diocesan availability to assist in any way. [icon name="file-pdf-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]Read Full Statement
Below are excerpts from the statement I offered on the tenth anniversary of the September 11 tragedy which still hold true today: As a nation we commemorate the anniversary of the shocking terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C., now known simply as September 11. It changed the world and our lives in significant ways. I recall Mass that following weekend. When it was announced that the closing song was not in the hymnal but that every one knew the words to ‘God Bless America’, a server sitting next to me said, “I don’t know the words.” His comment brought home to me the fact that for many of the youth and young adults the specter of war was unknown to them. Sadly, (18) years later, the harshness…
The tragic killings of so many innocents in El Paso and Dayton this past weekend tear at the heart of us all who, as people of faith, believe in the sanctity of all human life. Our prayers are with the injured and their families and with the families and friends who have lost loved ones. It is impossible for most of us to comprehend the depth of their sorrow. May Our Lady, who sorrowed at the death of her Son, console and encourage them. We pray for the repose of the souls of those whose God-gifted lives have been taken from them through these evil actions. May they rest in peace. [icon name="file-pdf-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]Read Full Statement
Earlier today Pope Francis named Bishop Robert Gruss of Rapid City as the seventh bishop of Saginaw, Michigan. I offer my sincere congratulations and best wishes to him as he undertakes this new ministry. It has been my privilege to work with him over these past 8 years, especially in moments where both South Dakota dioceses were involved. I think particularly of our collaboration in establishing the South Dakota Catholic Conference which has become a meaningful way to better address public policy concerns and matters of Catholic teaching in our state. While I will miss our working together, I ask the Lord to richly bless him in his leadership of the Diocese of Saginaw. I promise to pray for Bishop Gruss, the Diocese of Saginaw and the Diocese of Rapid…
Today we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the dedication of this Cathedral of St. Joseph and it prods us to ponder what does this Cathedral mean to us. It is especially poignant with the fire that recently happened at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in France which brought forth for me heavy memories of the fire that engulfed the Cathedral of Saint Raphael in Madison, Wisconsin while I was rector there. What if this spiritual and community landmark were to be lost? What does it mean to us? [icon name="file-pdf-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""]Read Full Statement
Today I am releasing the names of those priests of the Diocese of Sioux Falls who have had substantiated allegations of child sexual abuse made against them. It is my prayer that this will encourage any victim harmed by any on this list or any other person serving in ministry in the Church to come forward to law enforcement or to the diocese so that appropriate assistance might be offered and justice accomplished. To all who choose to come forward, please be assured that your confidentiality will be respected. Our diocese has been blessed by the presence of priests from many religious orders over the years. Any allegations against any of them must be forwarded to their superiors who have direct oversight over them. For this reason, religious order priests…
At the request of Sister Janice Klein, PBVM, President of the Presentation Sisters, I am writing to inform the clergy of plans regarding their ministry that the Presentation Sisters will soon be announcing publicly. The Presentation Sisters, whose ministry in Dakota Territory predates Pope Leo XIII’s decree creating the Diocese of Sioux Falls, have been and will continue to be an important part of the ministries of the Diocesan Church. The Sisters will be announcing plans to build new residences in Aberdeen and Sioux Falls. The community has shared details of its plans with me. I, in turn, have offered my encouragement and support in these endeavors. These have not been easy decisions for the community, but it is evident they have been grounded in prayer and made after taking…
Last week nearly 300 bishops of the United States completed a week at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago on a spiritual retreat suggested by Pope Francis. The purpose was to pray for victims of clergy child abuse, to seek forgiveness for those times we have not properly dealt with allegations or treated victims with respect, and to seek healing for all, including all in the Church who are scandalized by our sins and failings. [icon name="file-pdf-o" class="" unprefixed_class=""] Read Full Statement
