Robert Dwayne Gruss
Encyclopedia
Robert Dwayne Gruss is a bishop
of the Catholic Church in the United States
. He has served as the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City
in the state of South Dakota
since 2011.
. He has an associates degree from Madison Area Technical College
in Madison, Wisconsin
. He earned his commercial pilot's license from the Spartan School of Aeronautics
in Tulsa, Oklahoma
, and worked as a charter pilot, flight instructor and corporate pilot.
Gruss began his studies for the priesthood at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa
where he earned a bachelor's degree in theology. He earned a bachelor of sacred theology
degree and master’s in spiritual theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, also known as the Angelicum, in Rome, Italy. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Davenport
by Bishop William Edwin Franklin
at Sacred Heart Cathedral on July 2, 1994.
, Sacred Heart Parish in Melcher, Iowa and St. Mary Parish in Pella, Iowa
. He then served as the pastor in Pella from 1999-2004. He was the diocesan vocations director from 2004–2007 and diocesan chancellor
from 2005-2007. Pope Benedict XVI
named him a Chaplain of His Holiness
, with the title Monsignor
, in August 2007. Msgr. Gruss served as the vice-rector of the Pontifical North American College
in Rome from 2007-2010. From 2010-2011 he served as pastor and rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport.
in Rapid City, South Dakota
. Archbishop John Clayton Nienstedt
of St. Paul and Minneapolis
was the ordaining prelate. Bishops Martin John Amos
of Davenport and Samuel Joseph Aquila
of Fargo
were the co-consecrators.
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
of the Catholic Church in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He has served as the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rapid City
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rapid City is a Roman Catholic diocese in South Dakota. It was founded on August 6, 1902 as the Diocese of Lead, and was renamed on August 1, 1930.-Bishops:The past bishops of the diocese are:Bishops of Lead...
in the state of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
since 2011.
Early life and education
Robert Gruss was born in Texarkana, ArkansasTexarkana, Arkansas
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,448 people, 10,384 households, and 7,040 families residing in the city. The population density was 830.5 people per square mile . There were 11,721 housing units at an average density of 368.1 per square mile...
. He has an associates degree from Madison Area Technical College
Madison Area Technical College
Madison Area Technical College is a technical and community college headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. It serves parts of 12 counties in south-central Wisconsin: Adams, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Marquette, Richland, Rock, and Sauk...
in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
. He earned his commercial pilot's license from the Spartan School of Aeronautics
Spartan School of Aeronautics
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology is a private college in Tulsa, Oklahoma that offers training in aviation and aircraft maintenance. Originally established to augment sales of Spartan Aircraft Company, it outlived its parent company and continues to train pilots and mechanics into the...
in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, and worked as a charter pilot, flight instructor and corporate pilot.
Gruss began his studies for the priesthood at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
where he earned a bachelor's degree in theology. He earned a bachelor of sacred theology
Bachelor of Sacred Theology
The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is a graduate-level academic degree in theology.The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is offered by a number of Pontifical Universities. It is sometimes offered as a graduate degree, for students who have already completed a B.A. or other first degree...
degree and master’s in spiritual theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, also known as the Angelicum, in Rome, Italy. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Davenport
Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport is a diocese of the Catholic Church for the southeastern quarter of the state of Iowa. There are within the diocese...
by Bishop William Edwin Franklin
William Edwin Franklin
William Edwin Franklin is a bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as auxiliary bishop of Archdiocese of Dubuque in the state of Iowa from 1987–1993, and as the seventh bishop of the Diocese of Davenport, also in Iowa, from 1993-2006.-Early Life & Ministry:Born in Parnell,...
at Sacred Heart Cathedral on July 2, 1994.
Priesthood
After ordination Father Gruss served as the parochial vicar of St. Paul the Apostle parish in Davenport from 1994-1997. He served as the parochial vicar for three parshes in central Iowa from 1997–1998; they include St. Anthony Parish in Knoxville, IowaKnoxville, Iowa
Knoxville is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,731 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marion County. Knoxville is home of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum located next to the famous dirt track known as Knoxville Raceway.-History:The site for...
, Sacred Heart Parish in Melcher, Iowa and St. Mary Parish in Pella, Iowa
Pella, Iowa
Pella is a city in Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,832 at the 2000 census. Pella is the home of Central College as well as several manufacturing companies, including Pella Corporation and Vermeer Manufacturing Company.- History :...
. He then served as the pastor in Pella from 1999-2004. He was the diocesan vocations director from 2004–2007 and diocesan chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
from 2005-2007. Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
named him a Chaplain of His Holiness
Chaplain of His Holiness
A Chaplain of His Holiness is a priest to whom the Pope has granted this title. They are addressed as Monsignor and have certain privileges, such as regards ecclesiastical dress....
, with the title Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
, in August 2007. Msgr. Gruss served as the vice-rector of the Pontifical North American College
Pontifical North American College
The Pontifical North American College is a Roman Catholic educational institution in Rome, Italy educating seminarians for the dioceses in the United States and providing a residence for American priests studying in Rome. It was founded in 1859 by Blessed Pope Pius IX and was granted pontifical...
in Rome from 2007-2010. From 2010-2011 he served as pastor and rector of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport.
Bishop of Rapid City
Msgr. Gruss was named the bishop of Rapid City by Pope Benedict on May 26, 2011. His episcopal ordination took place on July 28, 2011 at the Rushmore Plaza Civic CenterRushmore Plaza Civic Center
The Rushmore Plaza Civic Center is a exhibition center, in Rapid City, South Dakota. It contains a 10,000 seat, multi-purpose arena. It was built in 1977 and the grand opening event was an Elvis Presley concert on June 21st....
in Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
. Archbishop John Clayton Nienstedt
John Clayton Nienstedt
John Clayton Nienstedt is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, having previously served as Bishop of New Ulm from 2001 to 2007.-Early life and education:...
of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is led by the prelature of an archbishop which administers the archdiocese from the cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis...
was the ordaining prelate. Bishops Martin John Amos
Martin John Amos
Martin John Amos is a bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in the state of Ohio from 2001–2006, and as the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Davenport in the state of Iowa since 2006.-Early Life & Ministry:Martin John Amos...
of Davenport and Samuel Joseph Aquila
Samuel Joseph Aquila
Samuel Joseph Aquila is the seventh and current Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo in North Dakota....
of Fargo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo is a Roman Catholic diocese in North Dakota. It was founded on April 6, 1897 by Pope Leo XIII. Fargo, North Dakota is the episcopal see of the diocese.-Bishops of the Diocese of Fargo:...
were the co-consecrators.