Harold Joseph Dimmerling

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Harold Joseph Dimmerling
Bishop of Rapid City
Titular Bishop of xxx
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
SeeDiocese of Rapid City
PredecessorWilliam Tibertus McCarty
SuccessorCharles Joseph Chaput
Orders
ConsecrationOctober 30, 1969
Personal details
Born(1914-09-23)September 23, 1914
DiedDecember 13, 1987(1987-12-13) (aged 73)
MottoKeep the faith

Harold Joseph Dimmerling (September 23, 1914 – December 13, 1987) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City in South Dakota from 1969 until his death in 1987.

In 2018, the Diocese of Saint Paul announced that it had credible accusations of sexual abuse of a minor against Dimmerling.

Biography[edit]

Joseph Dimmerling was born on September 23, 1914, in Braddock, Pennsylvania. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Saint Cloud on May 2, 1940.[1] After his ordination, Dimmerling served in pastoral assignments in St. Cloud, Breckenridge, Brushvale, Glenwood, Villard, and Little Falls, all in Minnesota. He also served at the seminary at Collegeville, Minnesota.[2]

On September 11, 1969, Pope Paul VI appointed Dimmerling as bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City. He was ordained bishop by Bishop George Speltz on October 30, 1969. Dimmerling established a permanent diaconate program and a lay ministry program and ordained the first Native American deacon in the country.[3]

Dimmerling started offices in the diocese for rural life, stewardship and social concerns. He set up a ministry for people who were separated or divorced, and for widows. He also established the West River Catholic newspaper.[1]

Joseph Dimmerling died on December 13, 1987.[1][3] In November 2018, the Diocese of Saint Cloud announced that it had credible accusations of sexual abuse of a minor against Dimmerling from his tenure as a priest in the diocese.[2][4]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Bishop Harold Joseph Dimmerling". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Deceased bishop accused of abuse while in St. Cloud". MPR News. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
  3. ^ a b "Bishop Dimmerling". Diocese of Rapid City. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
  4. ^ Brown, Jordyn. "Diocese of St. Cloud adds another name to list of clergy likely to have abused minors". St. Cloud Times. Retrieved 2022-10-28.

External links[edit]

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Rapid City
1969—1987
Succeeded by