Posted on 08/31/2006 7:00:23 AM PDT by NYer
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 Bob Carlson, who had been dispatched to Saginaw in December 2004.
A convert from Methodism, the bishop-elect 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. Bishop-elect Swain is believed to be the first alumnus of the seminary founded specifically for older vocations to be raised to the episcopacy.
In 2002, he was named Madison's vicar-general and rector of its Cathedral of St Raphael, which was heavily damaged by a March 2005 fire.
Swain is shown above in a photo taken on the morning of the cathedral fire. The future of St Raphael's remains a topic of discussion in the Madison diocese, with Bishop Robert Morlino beginning a series of six "townhall" meetings next week to solicit opinions on the rebuilding project.
Notably, last month the bishop and rector made a jailhouse visit to William Connell, who pled no contest to the arson charge in early July. The stated purpose of the visit was to forgive Connell, who apologized and offered his wish that the cathedral be rebuilt.
In accord with the norms of law, Bishop-elect Swain must be ordained and take possession of the diocese of Sioux Falls (comprised of "East River," South Dakota) within four months of this morning's appointment.
Oh, and one last thing: Bishop Aquila, you can breathe now.
Il Santo Padre Benedetto XVI ha nominato Vescovo di Sioux Falls (U.S.A.) il Rev.do Mons. Paul Joseph Swain, finora Vicario Generale di Madison.
Rev.do Mons. Paul Joseph Swain
Mons. Swain è nato il 12 settembre 1943, da una famiglia di confessione Metodista. Dopo aver seguito le scuole elementari e medie, ha continuato la sua educazione superiore prima nella Ohio Northern University, dove nel 1965 è diventato Bachelor of Arts in History; poi, all’University of Wisconsin-Madison, dove nel 1967 ha conseguito il Master of Arts in Political Science; e successivamente, presso l’University of Wisconsin Law School, dove ha conseguito il titolo di Juris Doctor, nel 1974. Nel frattempo ha partecipato alla Guerra in Vietnam (1967-1971), come Air Intelligence Officer. Per i suoi meriti ha ottenuto l’onorificenza di Vietnam Veteran Bronze Star. Laureatosi in Diritto Civile, ha seguito la pratica giuridica: prima come Assistant Legal Counsel, League of Wisconsin Municipalities (1975-1976); poi come Avvocato (1976-1979); e successivamente come Legal Counsel del Governatore dello Stato di Wisconsin, Sig. Lee Sherman Dryfus (1979-1983).
Dopo la sua conversione, è stato ricevuto nella Chiesa Cattolica nel 1982. Nel 1983 ha iniziato la sua formazione per il sacerdozio, presso il Pope John XXIII National Seminary a Weston, Massachusetts. Ha concluso nel 1988 conseguendo il titolo di Master of Divinity.È stato ordinato sacerdote il 27 maggio 1988 dal Vescovo Cletus F. O’Donnell. Ha poi ricoperto i seguenti incarichi: 1988-1993: Vicario cooperatore di Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary a Sun Prairie. 1993: Segretario di S.E. Bullock, Moderatore della Curia e Vice-Cancelliere. 1994-1997: Parroco di St. Mary of Pine Bluff. 1997-1999: Rettore della Cattedrale di St. Raphael di Madison. 1997-2000: Vicario Generale. 2002: Parroco di St. Bernard a Middleton. È Prelato d’Onore di sua Santità dal 14 giugno 1997 e membro dell’Ordine Equestre del Santo Sepolcro di Gerusalemme. Attualmente è Vicario Generale della diocesi di Madison e Rettore della Cattedrale di San Raffaele.
Sioux City, whose see is still vacant AFAIK, is in Iowa.
God bless the new Bishop and help him with his assignment.
Bishop Robert Carlson is outstanding. If Bishop Carlson put in a recommendation for Msgr Swain then he should be solid as well.
Ooooops ... ((( sorry ))) ... Geography was never one of my strengths.
Religion Moderator - can this be changed?
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