Rapid City (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Vacant
Daniel Juelfs, Administrator

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 1 August 1930
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: South Dakota
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 111,327 (43,000 Square Miles)
Conference Region: VIII (MN, ND, SD)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: RC
Official Web Site: https://www.rapidcitydiocese.org
Mailing Address: 225 Main Street, Rapid City, SD 57701, USA
Telephone: (605)343-3541
Fax: 348-7985

Historical Details

Diocese of Lead
- Latin Name: Leadensis
- Erected: 4 August 1902
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Saint Paul
- State: South Dakota
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 41,759
- Description: The part of the state West of the Missouri River.

Past and Present Ordinaries

John Stariha † (6 Aug 1902 Appointed - 8 Nov 1909 Resigned)
Joseph Francis Busch † (9 Apr 1910 Appointed - 19 Jan 1915 Appointed, Bishop of Saint Cloud, Minnesota)
John Jeremiah Lawler † (29 Jan 1916 Appointed - 11 Mar 1948 Died)
William Tibertus McCarty, C.SS.R. † (11 Mar 1948 Succeeded - 11 Sep 1969 Retired)
Harold Joseph Dimmerling † (11 Sep 1969 Appointed - 13 Dec 1987 Died)
Charles Joseph Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. (11 Apr 1988 Appointed - 18 Mar 1997 Appointed, Archbishop of Denver, Colorado)
Blase Joseph Cupich (7 Jul 1998 Appointed - 30 Jun 2010 Appointed, Bishop of Spokane, Washington)
Robert Dwayne Gruss (26 May 2011 Appointed - 24 May 2019 Appointed, Bishop of Saginaw, Michigan)
Peter Michael Muhich † (12 May 2020 Appointed - 17 Feb 2024 Died)

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Lead
4 August 1902	Erected	Diocese of Sioux Falls (South Dakota west of the Missouri River)	Diocese of Lead (erected)
Diocese of Rapid City
1 August 1930	Name Changed	Diocese of Lead	Diocese of Rapid City

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Rapid City

1950 42,140 155,969 27.0% 90 29 119 354 20 103 80 ap1951

1966 40,172 182,009 22.1% 70 51 121 332 78 98 70 ap1967

1970 34,000 171,300 19.8% 51 53 104 326 71 110 45 ap1971

1976 36,200 141,000 25.7% 42 50 92 393 3 58 103 61 ap1977

1980 35,637 178,208 20.0% 37 49 86 414 7 56 101 60 ap1981

1990 35,191 222,780 15.8% 41 42 83 423 18 61 95 113 ap1991

1999 35,605 211,591 16.8% 42 27 69 516 29 8 77 95 ap2000

2000 36,382 224,077 16.2% 40 28 68 535 24 36 70 97 ap2001

2001 34,477 222,683 15.5% 43 28 71 485 26 36 59 97 ap2002

2002 30,266 227,211 13.3% 44 26 70 432 26 31 57 97 ap2003

2003 29,940 227,211 13.2% 40 27 67 446 23 33 63 97 ap2004

2004 29,440 227,211 13.0% 37 21 58 507 30 26 58 97 ap2005

2010 30,700 239,000 12.8% 37 14 51 601 27 17 43 88 ap2011

2014 31,600 246,200 12.8% 38 14 52 607 29 17 33 83 ap2015

2017 24,240 252,801 9.6% 36 16 52 466 30 19 28 81 ap2018

2020 24,770 258,000 9.6% 33 12 45 550 26 17 19 75 ap2021

2022 25,000 259,000 9.7% 30 12 42 595 34 15 27 72 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Rapid City
1950	42,140	155,969	27.0%	90	29	119	354		20	103	80	ap1951
1966	40,172	182,009	22.1%	70	51	121	332		78	98	70	ap1967
1970	34,000	171,300	19.8%	51	53	104	326		71	110	45	ap1971
1976	36,200	141,000	25.7%	42	50	92	393	3	58	103	61	ap1977
1980	35,637	178,208	20.0%	37	49	86	414	7	56	101	60	ap1981
1990	35,191	222,780	15.8%	41	42	83	423	18	61	95	113	ap1991
1999	35,605	211,591	16.8%	42	27	69	516	29	8	77	95	ap2000
2000	36,382	224,077	16.2%	40	28	68	535	24	36	70	97	ap2001
2001	34,477	222,683	15.5%	43	28	71	485	26	36	59	97	ap2002
2002	30,266	227,211	13.3%	44	26	70	432	26	31	57	97	ap2003
2003	29,940	227,211	13.2%	40	27	67	446	23	33	63	97	ap2004
2004	29,440	227,211	13.0%	37	21	58	507	30	26	58	97	ap2005
2010	30,700	239,000	12.8%	37	14	51	601	27	17	43	88	ap2011
2014	31,600	246,200	12.8%	38	14	52	607	29	17	33	83	ap2015
2017	24,240	252,801	9.6%	36	16	52	466	30	19	28	81	ap2018
2020	24,770	258,000	9.6%	33	12	45	550	26	17	19	75	ap2021
2022	25,000	259,000	9.7%	30	12	42	595	34	15	27	72	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Steven Robert Biegler (Priest: 9 Jul 1993 to 16 Mar 2017)
Charles Joseph Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. (Bishop: 11 Apr 1988 to 18 Mar 1997)
Blase Joseph Cupich (Bishop: 7 Jul 1998 to 30 Jun 2010)
Robert Dwayne Gruss (Bishop: 26 May 2011 to 24 May 2019)
Michael Owen Jackels
Daniel Juelfs (Deacon: 9 Jun 1972; Priest: 8 Jun 1973; Administrator: 19 Feb 2024)
Michel Joseph Mulloy (Priest: 1986; Administrator: 2019 to 9 Jul 2020)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Joseph Francis Busch † (Bishop: 9 Apr 1910 to 19 Jan 1915)
Harold Joseph Dimmerling † (Bishop: 11 Sep 1969 to 13 Dec 1987)
Leo Ferdinand Dworschak † (Coadjutor Bishop: 22 Jun 1946 to 10 Apr 1947)
John Jeremiah Lawler † (Bishop: 29 Jan 1916 to 11 Mar 1948)
William Tibertus McCarty, C.SS.R. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 10 Apr 1947; Bishop: 11 Mar 1948 to 11 Sep 1969)
Peter Michael Muhich † (Bishop: 12 May 2020 to 17 Feb 2024)
John Stariha † (Bishop: 6 Aug 1902 to 8 Nov 1909)
Lawrence Harold Welsh † (Priest: 26 May 1962 to 6 Nov 1978)

Source(s)

Diocese of Rapid City
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 23, Page 113, and Page 114

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Diocese of Rapid City

Dioecesis Rapidopolitana