Pope appoints new bishop to Duluth diocese

Pope Francis has appointed Father Michel J. Mulloy, from the Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota, to be the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Duluth, it was announced June 19.

Bishop-elect Mulloy was born May 20, 1953, in Mobridge, South Dakota, and was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Sioux Falls in 1979. He served parishes in both the Sioux Falls and Rapid City dioceses before being incardinated formally in the Rapid City diocese in 1986. He has spent most of his ministry serving in parishes until his appointment full-time as vicar general of the Rapid City Diocese in 2017 and his subsequent election in 2019 as diocesan administrator after Rapid City's bishop was transferred to another diocese.

Among other roles in the Diocese of Rapid City, Mulloy has served as vocations director and director of the Office of Worship, as well as serving on the presbyteral council, the College of Consultors, the diocesan finance and pastoral councils, and the Sioux Spiritual Center board of directors.

His episcopal ordination and installation have been set for Thursday, Oct. 1.

Mulloy will succeed Bishop Paul Sirba, who died in December of a heart attack at age 59. Sirba had been a priest in the St. Paul and Minneapolis dioceses before his appointment to Duluth in 2009.

Carlton County churches in the diocese include St. Francis in Carlton, Queen of Peace and Holy Family in Cloquet, Immaculate Conception in Cromwell, Holy Angels in Moose Lake and Saints Mary & Joseph in Sawyer.