Donald DeGrood

DeGrood was born on February 14, 1965, and is the fourth of five sons of Robert and Joanne DeGrood. He grew up in Faribault, Minnesota on his family's farm. He attended Bethlehem Academy in Faribault and the University of Saint Thomas. He attended Saint John Vianney College Seminary in Saint Paul from 1983 to 1987, and then worked in business before returning in 1993 to The Saint Paul Seminary, where he graduated in 1997.[1]

DeGrood was ordained a priest on May 31, 1997 by Archbishop Harry Flynn. He served as associate pastor at All Saints in Lakeville from 1997-2000, and spiritual director at Saint John Vianney College Seminary from 2000-2004. He was the pastor of St. Peter in Forest Lake from 2004-2013.[1][2]

In 2013, DeGrood became pastor of Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul, the location of the most recent instance of clergy sexual abuse in the Archdiocese. An abuse survivor from that case said that DeGrood was "pivotal" in his healing process.[1] He was pastor for two years until August 1, 2015. While serving at Blessed Sacrament, he was also the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis’ Vicar for Clergy, and continued in that role until 2017. From July 2017 until he was appointed as bishop of Sioux Falls, he was the pastor of Saint John the Baptist in Savage.[1]

On December 12, 2019, he was named the bishop of the Diocese of Sioux Falls by Pope Francis. Because the quinquennial visit ad limina visits of the United States bishops were ongoing during this period, he was able to visit and meet with Pope Francis in between his appointment and consecration on January 13, 2020. He was consecrated as a bishop and installed on February 13, 2020 by Bernard Hebda, Paul J. Swain, and Andrew H. Cozzens at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Sioux Falls.[1][3] DeGrood's crosier was carved by one of his brothers from a tree on their family farm.

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls Official Site