Robert Dwayne Gruss | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Saginaw | |
.jpg) Bishop Gruss in 2012 atEllsworth Air Force Base | |
| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| See | Diocese of Saginaw |
| Appointed | May 24, 2019 |
| Installed | July 26, 2019 |
| Predecessor | Joseph R. Cistone |
| Previous posts |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | July 2, 1994 by William Edwin Franklin |
| Consecration | July 28, 2011 by John Clayton Nienstedt,Martin John Amos,Samuel J. Aquila |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1955-06-25)June 25, 1955 (age 70) |
| Education | St. Ambrose University Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas |
| Motto | No greater love |
| Styles of Robert Dwayne Gruss | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Reference style | |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Robert Dwayne Gruss (born June 25, 1955) is an Americanprelate of theRoman Catholic Church. He has served as the seventh bishop of theDiocese of Saginaw in Michigan since 2019. Gruss previously served as bishop of theDiocese of Rapid City in South Dakota from 2011 to 2019.
Robert Gruss was born inTexarkana, Arkansas on June 25, 1955.[1][2] He attendedMadison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin, earning anassociate degree. Gruss then received hiscommercial pilot license from theSpartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He worked as a flight instructor and commercialairline pilot from 1980 to 1989.[1]
After deciding to enter the priesthood, Gruss enrolled atSt. Ambrose University inDavenport, Iowa, where he earned aBachelor of Theology degree in 1990. He traveled to Rome to attend thePontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, where he earned aBachelor of Sacred Theology degree in 1993 and a Master in Spiritual Theology degree in 1994.[3]
After returning to Iowa, Gruss was ordained a priest for theDiocese of Davenport by BishopWilliam Franklin atSacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport on July 2, 1994.[2][4]
After his 1994 ordination, the diocese assigned Gruss asparochial vicar of St. Paul the Apostle Parish inDavenport, Iowa. He served the same role for three parishes in central Iowa from 1997 to 1998;
BishopWilliam Franklin appointed Gruss as vocations director in 2004 andchancellor in 2005.Pope Benedict XVI named him achaplain of his holiness, with the title of monsignor, in August 2007.[5]Gruss returned to Rome in 2007 to serve as vice-rector of thePontifical North American College.[1] Back in Iowa in 2010, he was assigned as pastor and rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral.[1]
Gruss was named the bishop of Rapid City by Benedict XVI on May 26, 2011. His episcopal consecration took place on July 28, 2011, at theRushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, South Dakota.[6] ArchbishopJohn Nienstedt was the consecrating bishop, and BishopsMartin Amos andSamuel Aquila were the co-consecrators.[2][3] In 2017, Gruss opened the cause for thecanonization ofLakota medicine manNicholas Black Elk.[7]
Gruss was named the bishop of Saginaw byPope Francis on May 24, 2019. Gruss was installed on July 26, 2019.[7][8] In remarks to the media, Gruss made this statement aboutsexual abuse by priests:
“There is no place in the church for sexual abuse of minors or anyone else, My desire is that the Church becomes holy in the way that Christ calls her to be, and those who abuse their power and authority are held to accountability.”[9]
In an appearance onCause for Joy, a diocesanpodcast, Gruss revealed his hobbies of riding "horses and Harleys".[10][11]
Media related toRobert Gruss at Wikimedia Commons
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| Preceded by | Bishop of Saginaw 2019–present | Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by | Bishop of Rapid City 2011–2019 | Succeeded by |
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