Donald DeGrood

{{Infobox Christian leader

| type =

| honorific-prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend

| name = Donald Edward DeGrood

| honorific-suffix =

| title = Bishop of Sioux Falls

| image = Bishop_Donald_DeGrood.jpg

| image_size =

| caption =

| archdiocese =

| diocese = Sioux Falls

| appointed = December 12, 2019

| enthroned = February 13, 2020

| retired =

| predecessor = Paul J. Swain

| successor =

| other_post =

| ordination = May 31, 1997

| ordained_by = Harry Joseph Flynn

| consecration = February 13, 2020

| consecrated_by = Bernard Hebda, Paul J. Swain, and Andrew H. Cozzens

| birth_name = Donald Edward DeGrood

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|02|14}}

| birth_place = Faribault, Minnesota

| death_date =

| death_place =

| buried =

| nationality =

| alma_mater =

| previous_post = Pastor at St. John the Baptist Parish in Savage, MN

| coat_of_arms =

| motto = God Is Love / All in now, so we are all in Heaven

}}

{{Infobox bishopstyles

| name= Donald Edward DeGrood

| dipstyle=

| offstyle=Your Excellency

| relstyle=Bishop

| image = File:Coat of arms of Donald Edward DeGrood.svg

| image_size = 200px

}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Bishop Donald E. DeGrood - Office of the Bishop |url=https://www.sfcatholic.org/bishop-degrood/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |language=en-US}}

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.

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.{{cite news |last1=Wiering |first1=Maria |title=Father Donald DeGrood, pastor in Savage, named next bishop of Sioux Falls |url=http://thecatholicspirit.com/news/local-news/father-donald-degrood-pastor-in-savage-named-next-bishop-of-sioux-falls/ |access-date= December 12, 2019 |work=TheCatholicSpirit.com |date= December 12, 2019}}

= 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.{{Cite web |title=Bishop Donald Edward DeGrood [Catholic-Hierarchy] |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bdegrood.html |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=www.catholic-hierarchy.org}} The diocese assigned DeGrood as associate pastor at All Saints Parish in Lakeville, Minnesota.

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.{{cite news |last1=Brockhaus |first1=Hannah |date=December 12, 2019 |title=Pope Francis taps Minnesota farm boy to lead Sioux Falls diocese |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/43069/pope-francis-taps-minnesota-farm-boy-to-lead-sioux-falls-diocese |work=Catholic News Agency |language=en}}

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. 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.

= Bishop of Sioux Falls =

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.{{Cite web|last=Mitchell|first=Trevor J.|title=Catholics welcome new bishop, who says he's ready to call Sioux Falls 'my diocese'|url=https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/2019/12/12/rev-donald-degrood-named-ninth-bishop-sioux-falls-diocese/4407420002/|access-date=2021-03-08|website=Argus Leader|language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |date=July 1, 2022 |title=CONFORMING WITH THE CHURCH’S TEACHING ON HUMAN SEXUALITY IN EDUCATION SETTINGS |url=https://www.sfcatholic.org/catholic-schools/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2022/08/Conforming-with-the-Churchs-Teaching-on-Human-Sexuality-in-Educational-Settings-1.pdf |access-date=March 28, 2024 |website=Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls}}