Priest Assignment Changes
The Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood has decreed the following appointments effective July 1, 2026:
Those who will be continuing ministry as senior priests:
Fr. Joseph Holzhauser from pastor of SS Peter and Paul, Pierre; Sacred Heart, Gettysburg; St. Anthony of Padua, Hoven and St. Pius X, Onida to senior status.
Fr. Mark Lichter from parochial vicar of Christ the King, Sioux Falls; St. Mary, Sioux Falls and St. John Paul II, Harrisburg to senior status.
Those who will be serving in new pastoral and specialized/chaplaincy ministry assignments:
Fr. Ernest Aburgri from parochial vicar of St. Mary, Dell Rapids; St. Peter, Coleman; SS Simon and Jude, Flandreau; and St. Joseph the Workman, Huntimer to parochial vicar of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Elkton; Pius XII Newman Center, Brookings; St. Francis de Sales, Estelline; St. John the Evangelist, Arlington; St. Paul, White and St. Thomas More, Brookings.
Fr. Terence Anderson from pastor of Good Shepherd, Centerville; St. Patrick, Wakonda; St. Teresa of Avila, Beresford; St. Agnes, Vermillion; St. Joseph, Elk Point; St. Peter, Jefferson; St. Teresa of Calcutta, Dakota Dunes and providing oversight of St. Thomas More Newman Center to parochial vicar of Sacred Heart, Aberdeen; St. Mary, Aberdeen; St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Aberdeen; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton; St. Joseph, Turton and Sacred Heart, Westport.
Fr. Timothy Cone from parochial vicar of St. Michael, Herreid; St. Joseph, Mobridge; St. Anthony, Selby; St. Augustine, Bowdle; St. Joseph, Eureka; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Leola; Holy Cross, Ipswich and St. Thomas the Apostle, Roscoe to parochial vicar of Sacred Heart, Aberdeen; St. Mary, Aberdeen; St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Aberdeen; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton; St. Joseph, Turton and Sacred Heart, Westport.
Fr. Kristopher Cowles from parochial vicar of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sioux Falls; St. Therese, Sioux Falls and St. Lambert, Sioux Falls to pastor of Good Shepherd, Centerville; St. Patrick, Wakonda; St. Teresa of Avila, Beresford; St. Agnes, Vermillion; St. Joseph, Elk Point; St. Peter, Jefferson; St. Teresa of Calcutta, Dakota Dunes and provide oversight of St. Thomas More Newman Center.
Fr. Brian Eckrich from parochial vicar of St. Thomas the Apostle, Faulkton; St. Liborius, Polo; St. Mary, Highmore; St. Ann, Miller; St. Bernard, Redfield and All Saints, Mellette to parochial vicar of St. Mary, Dell Rapids; St. Peter, Coleman; SS Simon and Jude, Flandreau and St. Joseph the Workman, Huntimer.
Fr. Nicholas Haiar from parochial vicar of St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls; St. Nicholas, Tea; St. Magdalen, Lennox and St. Christina, Parker to parochial vicar of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Sioux Falls; St. Therese, Sioux Falls and St. Lambert, Sioux Falls.
Fr. Russell Homic from parochial vicar of St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls; St. Nicholas, Tea; St. Magdalen, Lennox and St. Christina, Parker to unassigned.
Fr. Tony Klein from chaplain, O’Gorman High School; vocations advocate, Diocesan Office of Vocations; and sacramental minister of Cathedral of Saint Joseph to rector and parochial administrator of the Cathedral of Saint Joseph and St. Josephine Bakhita, Sioux Falls; director of the Office of Liturgy and Worship; oversight of prison ministry in Sioux Falls and the sacramental ministry provided to the Perpetual Adoration Sisters residing at Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, Sioux Falls.
Fr. Grant Lacey from university chaplain and director of campus ministry of Mount Marty University to parochial vicar of St. Margaret, Kimball; St. James, Chamberlain; St. Peter, White Lake; St. John, Plankinton and St. Mary, Stickney.
Fr. Alex Leschisin, upon priestly ordination, to parochial vicar of Christ the King, Sioux Falls; St. Mary, Sioux Falls and St. John Paul II, Harrisburg.
Fr. Tyler Mattson from discipleship and evangelization director to parochial vicar of St. Thomas the Apostle, Faulkton; St. Liborius, Polo; St. Mary, Highmore; St. Ann, Miller; St. Bernard, Redfield and All Saints, Mellette.
Fr. James Morgan from rector of the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, St. Josephine Bakhita, Sioux Falls; director of the Office of Liturgy and Worship and oversight of the sacramental ministry provided to the Perpetual Adoration Sisters residing at Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, Sioux Falls to pastor of SS Peter and Paul, Pierre; Sacred Heart, Gettysburg; St. Anthony of Padua, Hoven and St. Pius X, Onida.
Fr. Desmond Murtala from parochial vicar of Holy Spirit, Sioux Falls and St. Dominic, Canton to parochial vicar of St. Thomas Aquinas, Madison; St. Agatha, Howard and St. William of Vercelli, Ramona.
Fr. Jeff Norfolk from formator and spiritual director, St. John Vianney College Seminary, St. Paul, MN to parochial vicar, Cathedral of Saint Joseph.
Fr. Albert Ondjo from parochial vicar of St. Michael, Sioux Falls and St. George, Hartford to unassigned.
Fr. Randy Phillips from parochial vicar of St. Margaret, Kimball; St. James, Chamberlain; St. Peter, White Lake; St. John, Plankinton and St. Mary, Stickney to university chaplain and director of campus ministry at Mount Marty University.
Fr. Zachary Schaefbauer from parochial vicar of Holy Spirit, Sioux Falls and St. Dominic, Canton to parochial vicar of St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls; St. Nicholas, Tea; St. Magdalen, Lennox and St. Christina, Parker.
Fr. Jeffery Schulte from parochial vicar of Sacred Heart, Aberdeen; St. Mary, Aberdeen; St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Aberdeen; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton; St. Joseph, Turton and Sacred Heart, Westport to parochial vicar of Holy Spirit, Sioux Falls and St. Dominic, Canton.
Fr. Gerald Thornton from parochial vicar of Sacred Heart, Aberdeen; St. Mary, Aberdeen; St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, Aberdeen; St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Groton; St. Joseph, Turton and Sacred Heart, Westport to chaplain, O’Gorman High School; vocations advocate, Diocesan Office of Vocations; and sacramental minister, Cathedral of Saint Joseph.
Fr. Andy Thuringer from discipleship and evangelization director to parochial vicar of St. Michael, Herreid; St. Joseph, Mobridge; St. Anthony, Selby; St. Augustine, Bowdle; St. Joseph, Eureka; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Leola; Holy Cross, Ipswich and St. Thomas the Apostle, Roscoe.
Fr. Scott Traynor, in addition to serving at Broom Tree Retreat Center, to parochial vicar of St. Katharine Drexel, Sioux Falls; St. Nicholas, Tea; St. Magdalen, Lennox and St. Christina, Parker.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dr. Christopher Burgwald
Chancellor