Priest Assignment Changes
The Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following priest assignment changes effective March 22, 2023:
Barry Reuwsaat, after voluntarily seeking a dispensation from the sacred duties of ordination, was returned to the lay state by decree of the Holy See’s Congregation for Clergy. By that same decree, Barry was released from all obligations of Holy Orders, including that of celibacy.
Joseph Scholten, after voluntarily seeking a dispensation from the sacred duties of ordination, was returned to the lay state by decree of the Holy See’s Congregation for Clergy. By that same decree, Joseph was released from all obligations of Holy Orders, including that of celibacy.
The Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following appointments effective July 5, 2023:
Reverend Albert Cizewski, from his assignment as Pastor of St. John de Britto Parish, Britton to Senior Priest status at the priest’s request.
Reverend Martin Lawrence from Pastor of St. Dominic Parish in Canton and St. Magdalen Parish in Lennox, at the request of the priest and the invitation of the Most Reverend Michael G. Duca, Bishop of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, to a pastoral assignment in Louisiana.
Those who will be serving in new pastoral and specialized/chaplaincy ministry assignments:
Reverend Terry Anderson from Pastor of St. Thomas More, Brookings to Pastor of Good Shepherd, Centerville; St. Patrick, Wakonda; St. Teresa of Avila, Beresford; St. Agnes, Vermillion; St. Thomas More Newman Center, Vermillion; St. Joseph, Elk Point; St. Peter, Jefferson; and St. Teresa of Calcutta, Dakota Dunes.
Reverend Thomas Anderson in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of St. Benedict and Sacred Heart parishes, Yankton, Pastor of St. Boniface, Idylwilde; St. John the Baptist, Lesterville; St. George, Scotland; St. Vincent de Paul, Springfield; St. Wenceslaus, Tabor; and St. Leo the Great, Tyndall.
Reverend Mark Axtmann in addition to his current assignment as Parochial Vicar of St. Anthony, Selby; St. Joseph, Eureka; St. Joseph, Mobridge; St. Michael, Herreid, to Parochial Vicar of Holy Cross, Ipswich; St. Augustine, Bowdle; St. Thomas the Apostle, Roscoe; and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Leola.
Reverend Richard Baumberger from Pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas, DeSmet; St. John, Arlington; St. Mary, Bryant to Parochial Vicar of Holy Rosary, Kranzburg; St. Michael, Clark; Blessed Sacrament, Florence; St. Henry, Henry; St. Mary, Bryant; Holy Name of Jesus, Watertown; and Immaculate Conception, Watertown.
Reverend Doug Binsfeld from Pastor of Christ the King, Webster and Immaculate Conception, Waubay to Parochial Vicar of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Sisseton; St. Peter, Sisseton; St. John de Britto, Britton; St. John the Baptist, Rosholt; St. Joseph, Grenville; Sacred Heart, Eden; Christ the King, Webster; and Immaculate Conception, Waubay.
Reverend Thomas Clement and in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of St. Ann, Geddes and St. Peter the Apostle, Platte to Pastor of St. Mark, Lake Andes; St. John the Baptist, Wagner; Assumption, Dante; SS. Peter & Paul, Dimock; Sacred Heart, Parkston; St. Paul the Apostle, Armour; St. Paul, Marty; and providing oversight for Native American and Hispanic Ministries within those parishes.
Reverend Timothy Cone from Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Leola; Holy Cross, Ipswich; and St. Thomas the Apostle, Roscoe to Parochial Vicar of St. Anthony, Selby; St. Joseph, Eureka; St. Joseph, Mobridge; St. Michael, Herreid; Holy Cross, Ipswich; St. Augustine, Bowdle; St. Thomas the Apostle, Roscoe; and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Leola.
Very Reverend Kristopher Cowles from Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sioux Falls and in addition to the remaining assignment as Vicar of Hispanic Ministry, to Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sioux Falls; St. Therese, Sioux Falls; and St. Lambert, Sioux Falls.
Reverend Gary DeRouchey from Pastor of St. Lawrence, Milbank to Parochial Vicar of St. Peter the Apostle, Platte; St. Ann, Geddes; St. Mark, Lake Andes; St. John the Baptist, Wagner; Assumption, Dante; SS. Peter & Paul, Dimock; Sacred Heart, Parkston; St. Paul the Apostle, Armour; and St. Paul, Marty.
Reverend Andrew Dickinson from Pastor of Sacred Heart, Aberdeen; St. Mary, Aberdeen; Sacred Heart, Westport; and St. Thomas Aquinas Newman, Aberdeen to Pastor of St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls; St. Nicholas, Tea; St. Magdalen, Lennox; St. Christina, Parker; providing oversight of the Hispanic Ministry within those parishes and Vicar General.
Reverend Jacob Doty, relieved of his current assignment as Sacramental Minister of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sioux Falls and in addition to his current assignment as Parochial Vicar of St. Mary, Sioux Falls, Parochial Vicar of Christ the King, Sioux Falls and St. John Paul II, Harrisburg.
Reverend Kevin Doyle from Pastor of St. Charles, Artesian; St. Joseph, Wessington Springs; and St. Wilfrid, Woonsocket to Parochial Vicar of Good Shepherd, Centerville; St. Patrick, Wakonda; St. Teresa of Avila, Beresford; St. Agnes, Vermillion; St. Joseph, Elk Point; St. Peter, Jefferson; St. Teresa of Calcutta, Dakota Dunes; and St. Thomas More Newman Center.
Reverend Brian Eckrich from Parochial Administrator of St. Joseph, Huntimer and St. Rose of Lima, Garretson, Sacramental Minister of Sioux Falls Penitentiary, and Chaplain of Mater Ecclesia Monastery to Pastor of St. Lawrence, Milbank; St. Charles, Big Stone City; Annunciation, Revillo; St. Mary, Clear Lake; and providing oversight of the Hispanic Ministry within those parishes.
Reverend John Fischer from Pastor of Holy Name of Jesus, Watertown to Parochial Vicar of Blessed Sacrament, Florence; Holy Name of Jesus, Watertown; Holy Rosary, Kranzburg; Immaculate Conception, Watertown; St. Henry, Henry; St. Mary, Bryant; and St. Michael, Clark.
Reverend Thomas Fitzpatrick from Pastor of St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls to Pastor of St. Thomas More, Brookings; St. Paul, White; St. John the Evangelist, Arlington; St. Francis de Sales, Estelline; Our Lady of Good Counsel, Elkton; and providing oversight of Hispanic Ministry within those parishes and Pius XII Newman Center.
Reverend Joseph Forcelle from Pastor of St. Leo, Tyndall; St. Vincent de Paul, Springfield; and St. Wenceslaus, Tabor to Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart, Yankton; St. Benedict, Yankton; St. Wenceslaus, Tabor; St. Leo the Great, Tyndall; St. John the Baptist, Lesterville; St. George, Scotland; St. Boniface, Idylwilde; and St. Vincent de Paul, Springfield.
Reverend Richard Fox from Pastor of Immaculate Conception, Watertown to Pastor of St. Margaret, Kimball; St. James, Chamberlain; St. Peter, White Lake; St. John, Plankinton; and St. Mary, Stickney.
Reverend Gregg Frankman from Pastor of St. Kateri Tekakwitha and St. Peter, Sisseton; and St. John, Rosholt to Parochial Vicar of Christ the King, Webster; Immaculate Conception, Waubay; Sacred Heart, Eden; St. John the Baptist, Rosholt; St. John de Britto, Britton; St. Joseph, Grenville; St. Kateri Tekakwitha and St. Peter, Sisseton.
Reverend Jim Friedrich from Pastor of Assumption, Dante; St. John the Baptist, Wagner; and St. Paul, Marty to Parochial Vicar of St. Peter the Apostle, Platte; St. Ann, Geddes; St. Mark, Lake Andes; St. John the Baptist, Wagner; Assumption, Dante; SS Peter & Paul, Dimock; Sacred Heart, Parkston; St. Paul the Apostle, Armour; and St. Paul, Marty.
Reverend David Garza from Pastor of St. Charles, Big Stone City and Annunciation, Revillo to Parochial Vicar of St. Lawrence, Milbank; St. Charles, Big Stone; Annunciation, Revillo; and St. Mary, Clear Lake.
Reverend Michael Griffin in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of St. Anthony, Selby; St. Joseph, Eureka; St. Joseph, Mobridge; and St. Michael, Herreid to Pastor of Holy Cross, Ipswich; St. Augustine, Bowdle; St. Thomas the Apostle, Roscoe and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Leola.
Reverend Patrick Grode from Pastor of St. Paul, White and in addition to his current assignment as Priest Director of Pius XII Newman Center, Brookings to Parochial Vicar of St. Thomas More, Brookings; St. Francis de Sales, Estelline; St. Paul, White; Our Lady of Good Counsel, Elkton; and St. John the Evangelist, Arlington.
Reverend Shaun Haggerty from Pastor of St. John Paul II, Harrisburg and Chaplain for Sanford Hospital to Pastor of St. Mary, Bryant; St. Michael, Clark; Blessed Sacrament, Florence; St. Henry, Henry; Holy Rosary, Kranzburg; Holy Name of Jesus, Watertown and Immaculate Conception, Watertown.
Reverend Nicholas Haiar from Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart and St. Benedict, Yankton to Parochial Vicar of St. Christina, Parker; St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls; St. Magdalen, Lennox; and St. Nicholas, Tea.
Reverend William Hamak from Pastor of St. James, Chamberlain and St. Margaret, Kimball to Parochial Vicar of Church of Epiphany, Epiphany; St. Ann, Humboldt; St. Martin, Emery; St. Mary, Salem; St. Mary of Mercy, Alexandria; St. Patrick, Montrose; and St. Stephen, Bridgewater.
Reverend Thomas Hartman in addition to the current assignment as Pastor of St. Michael in Sioux Falls to Pastor of St. George, Hartford and providing oversight of the Prison Ministry.
Reverend John Helmueller from Parish Administrator of St. Mark, Lake Andes and St. Paul, Armour to Parochial Vicar of Assumption, Dante; Sacred Heart, Parkston; SS. Peter & Paul, Dimock; St. Ann, Geddes; St. John the Baptist, Wagner; St. Mark, Lake Andes; St. Paul, Marty; St. Paul the Apostle, Armour; and St. Peter the Apostle, Platte.
Reverend Joseph Holzhauser in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of SS. Peter & Paul, Pierre, to Pastor of Sacred Heart, Gettysburg; St. Anthony of Padua, Hoven; and St. Pius X, Onida.
Reverend Christopher Hughes from Pastor of Holy Rosary, Kranzburg; St. Francis de Sales, Estelline; and St. Mary, Clear Lake to Parochial Vicar of Blessed Sacrament, Florence; Holy Name of Jesus, Watertown; Holy Rosary, Kranzburg; Immaculate Conception, Watertown; St. Henry, Henry; St. Mary, Bryant; and St. Michael, Clark.
Reverend Steven Jones from Pastor of St. Mary, Salem and St. Patrick, Montrose to Parochial Vicar of Holy Spirit, Sioux Falls and St. Dominic, Canton.
Reverend Paul Josten from Pastor of St. Ann, Miller; St. Liborius, Polo; and St. Mary, Highmore to Parochial Vicar of St. Bernard, Redfield; All Saints, Mellette; St. Ann, Miller; St. Liborius, Polo; St. Mary, Highmore; and St. Thomas the Apostle, Faulkton.
Reverend Michael Kapperman from Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart and St. Mary, Aberdeen; Sacred Heart, Westport; and St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Aberdeen to Vocations Director, Propaedeutic Formation Director, and Chaplain of Bishop O’Gorman Junior High School.
Reverend Paul King in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of St. Lambert, Sioux Falls to Pastor of St. Therese, Sioux Falls and Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sioux Falls and providing oversight of the Hispanic Ministry within those parishes.
Reverend Robert Krantz from Pastor of St. Martin, Emery; St. Mary of Mercy, Alexandria; and St. Stephen, Bridgewater to Parochial Vicar of Church of Epiphany, Epiphany; St. Ann, Humboldt; St. Martin, Emery; St. Mary, Salem; St. Mary of Mercy, Alexandria; St. Patrick, Montrose; and St. Stephen, Bridgewater.
Reverend Melvin Kuhn from Pastor of St. Peter, Colman; Our Lady of Good Counsel, Elkton; and SS. Simon & Jude, Flandreau to Pastor of St. Mary, Salem; Church of Epiphany, Epiphany; St. Mary of Mercy, Alexandria; St. Martin, Emery; St. Stephen, Bridgewater; St. Patrick, Montrose; and St. Ann, Humboldt.
Reverend Robert Lacey in addition to his current assignment as Parochial Vicar of St. Benedict and Sacred Heart, Yankton to Parochial Vicar of St. Boniface, Idylwilde; St. George, Scotland; St. John the Baptist, Lesterville; St. Leo the Great, Tyndall; St. Vincent de Paul, Springfield; and St. Wenceslaus, Tabor.
Reverend Mark Lichter from Pastor of St. Boniface, Idylwilde; St. George, Scotland; and St. John the Baptist, Lesterville to Parochial Vicar of Christ the King, Sioux Falls; St. Mary, Sioux Falls; and St. John Paul II, Harrisburg.
Reverend Kenneth Lulf in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of Sacred Heart, Eden and St. Joseph, Grenville to Pastor of Christ the King, Webster; Immaculate Conception, Waubay; St. John the Baptist, Rosholt; St. John de Britto, Britton; St. Peter and St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Sisseton.
Very Reverend James Mason in addition to his current assignment as Vicar for Clergy and Pastor of Holy Spirit, Sioux Falls to Pastor of St. Dominic, Canton and providing oversight of the Extraordinary Form Mass and ministry.
Reverend Tyler Mattson from Pastor of St. Nicholas, Tea and St. Christina, Parker to Parochial Vicar of St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls; St. Nicholas, Tea; St. Magdalen, Lennox; and St. Christina, Parker.
Reverend Mitchell McLaughlin in addition to his current assignment as Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart, Westport; and St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, St. Mary and Sacred Heart parishes in Aberdeen to Parochial Vicar of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton and St. Joseph, Turton.
Reverend Scott Miller from Parochial Vicar of St. Michael, Sioux Falls and Chaplain of Bishop O’Gorman Junior High to Parochial Vicar of St. Mary, Dell Rapids; St. Peter, Colman; SS. Simon & Jude, Flandreau; and St. Joseph the Workman, Huntimer.
Reverend James Morgan in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of the Cathedral of Saint Joseph and St. Josephine Bakhita, Sioux Falls to Director of the Office of Liturgy and Worship and oversight of the sacramental ministry provided to the Perpetual Adoration Sisters residing at Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, Sioux Falls.
Reverend Chester Murtha from Pastor of St. Agatha, Howard; Church of Epiphany, Epiphany; and St. William of Vercelli, Ramona to Parochial Vicar of St. Agatha, Howard; St. William of Vercelli, Ramona; St. Thomas Aquinas and DSU Newman outreach, Madison.
Reverend Kevin O’Dell from Pastor of St. Therese, Sioux Falls to Parochial Vicar of St. Rose of Lima, Garretson; Risen Savior, Brandon; and Chaplain at Sanford Hospital, Sioux Falls.
Reverend Thi Pham, SCJ in addition to his current assignment as Parochial Vicar of St. Benedict and Sacred Heart parishes, Yankton to Parochial Vicar of St. Wenceslaus, Tabor; St. Leo the Great, Tyndall; St. John the Baptist, Lesterville; St. George, Scotland; St. Boniface, Idylwilde; and St. Vincent de Paul, Springfield.
Reverend Randy Phillips from Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle, Faulkton and St. Liborius, Polo to Parochial Vicar of St. Margaret, Kimball; St. Peter, White Lake; St. Mary, Stickney; St. James, Chamberlain; and St. John, Plankinton.
Reverend Jerome Ranek from Pastor of St. Agnes, Vermillion to Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sioux Falls; St. Therese, Sioux Falls and St. Lambert, Sioux Falls.
Reverend Larry Regynski in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of Holy Trinity, Huron to Pastor of St. Charles, Artesian; St. Joseph, Wessington Springs; St. Wilfrid, Woonsocket; and St. Thomas Aquinas, De Smet.
Reverend David Roehrich from Pastor of St. Teresa of Avila, Beresford; St. Patrick, Wakonda and Good Shepherd, Centerville to Parochial Vicar of Good Shepherd, Centerville; St. Patrick, Wakonda; St. Teresa of Avila, Beresford; St. Agnes, Vermillion; St. Joseph, Elk Point; St. Peter, Jefferson; St. Teresa of Calcutta, Dakota Dunes; and St. Thomas More Newman Center.
Reverend John Rutten in addition to his current assignment as Priest Director of St. Thomas More Newman Center, Vermillion to Parochial Vicar of Good Shepherd, Centerville; St. Patrick, Wakonda; St. Teresa of Avila, Beresford; St. Agnes, Vermillion; St. Joseph, Elk Point; St. Peter, Jefferson; and St. Teresa of Calcutta, Dakota Dunes.
Reverend Paul Rutten in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of St. Mary, Sioux Falls to Pastor of Christ the King, Sioux Falls; St. John Paul II, Harrisburg; and oversight of the Sioux Falls Newman Campus Ministry.
Reverend Jordan Samson from Pastor of Christ the King, Sioux Falls and Director of Vocations to Pastor of Sacred Heart, Aberdeen; St. Mary, Aberdeen; St. Joseph, Turton; Sacred Heart, Westport; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton; and St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Aberdeen.
Reverend Zachary Schaefbauer in addition to his current assignment as Parochial Vicar of Holy Spirit, Sioux Falls, to Parochial Vicar of St. Dominic, Canton.
Reverend Darin Schmidt from Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua, Hoven and St. Augustine, Bowdle to Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart, Yankton; St. Benedict, Yankton; St. Wenceslaus, Tabor; St. Leo the Great, Tyndall; St. John the Baptist, Lesterville; St. George, Scotland; St. Boniface, Idylwilde; and St. Vincent de Paul, Springfield.
Reverend Jeffrey Schulte in addition to his current assignment as Parochial Vicar to Sacred Heart, Aberdeen; St. Mary, Aberdeen; Sacred Heart, Westport; and St. Thomas Newman Center, Aberdeen, to Parochial Vicar of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton and St. Joseph, Turton.
Reverend John Short in addition to Pastor of St. Bernard, Redfield; All Saints, Mellette; to Pastor of St. Ann, Miller; St. Liborius, Polo; St. Mary, Highmore; and St. Thomas the Apostle, Faulkton.
Reverend Brian Simon from Pastor of Sacred Heart, Gettysburg; St. Anthony of Padua, Hoven and St. Pius X, Onida to Parochial Vicar of SS. Peter & Paul, Pierre; Sacred Heart, Gettysburg; St. Anthony of Padua, Hoven; and St. Pius X, Onida.
Reverend Daniel Smith from Pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Florence; St. Henry, Henry; and St. Michael, Clark to Parochial Vicar of St. Michael, Sioux Falls and St. George, Hartford and Prison Ministry.
Reverend David Stevens from Pastor of Sacred Heart, Parkston and SS. Peter & Paul, Dimock to Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Elkton; Pius XII Newman Center, Brookings; St. Francis de Sales, Estelline; St. John the Evangelist, Arlington; St. Paul, White; and St. Thomas More, Brookings.
Reverend Shane Stevens in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of St. Mary, Dell Rapids to Pastor of St. Peter, Colman; SS. Simon & Jude, Flandreau; and St. Joseph the Workman, Huntimer.
Reverend Andrew Thuringer from Parochial Administrator of St. Ann, Humboldt and St. George, Harford to Parochial Vicar of St. Michael, Sioux Falls; St. George, Hartford; and Prison Ministry.
Very Reverend Gregory Tschakert from Pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton and St. Joseph, Turton and in addition to Judicial Vicar to Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart, Westport; St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, St. Mary and Sacred Heart parishes, Aberdeen; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton; and St. Joseph, Turton.
Reverend Anthony Urban in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas, Madison and Chaplain Newman Ministry at DSU, Madison to Pastor of St. Agatha, Howard and St. William of Vercelli, Ramona.
Reverend Joseph Vogel from Pastor of St. Joseph, Elk Point; St. Peter, Jefferson; and St. Teresa of Calcutta, Dakota Dunes to Parochial Vicar of Good Shepherd, Centerville; St. Patrick, Wakonda; St. Teresa of Avila, Beresford; St. Agnes, Vermillion; St. Joseph, Elk Point; St. Peter, Jefferson; St. Teresa of Calcutta, Dakota Dunes; and St. Thomas More Newman Center.
Reverend Terry Weber from Pastor of St. John, Plankinton; St. Mary, Stickney and St. Peter, White Lake to Parochial Vicar of Holy Trinity, Huron; St. Charles, Artesian; St. Joseph, Wessington Springs; St. Thomas Aquinas, De Smet; and St. Wilfrid, Woonsocket.
Very Reverend Andrew Young in addition to his current assignment as Pastor of Risen Savior, Brandon and Vicar General to Pastor of St. Rose of Lima, Garretson and providing oversight of Sanford Hospital Chaplaincy.
Thank you for holding each of these priests and deacons in prayer as they undergo these transitions in their ministry.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mr. Christopher Motz
Chief of Staff