Thursday, August 31, 2006

Sioux Falls Has A Bishop Again!

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It only took slightly over 20 months, but this morning Pope Benedict named Msgr Paul Joseph Swain, heretofore vicar-general of Madison, as bishop of Sioux Falls, succeeding Bishop Robert Carlson, who had been named to Saginaw in December 2004.

The bishop-elect -- a convert from Methodism -- marks his 63rd birthday in two weeks. Having attended law school at the University of Wisconsin, he served in Vietnam in air intelligence and, after his return home, was legal counsel to then-Wisconsin Gov. Sherman Dryfus. Received into the church in 1982, he attended Pope John XXIII National Seminary at Weston and was ordained in 1988. In 2002, he was named Madison's vicar-general and rector of its cathedral of St Raphael. Thanks to Rocco! (and Pope Benedict)

It looks like Rome can move fast when it has to:

August 16, 2006:
Rome to Sioux Falls: "What? You don't have a bishop?!"

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Bishop Paul Swain is one of my Big Brothers. His family is so proud of him. We will be there when you welcome him to his new home. Love you Paul.

Little Sister Vicki