Diocese bishop chosen

After going without a bishop since late 2019, Pope Francis named a Wisconsin priest to lead the Duluth Diocese.

Rev. Daniel Felton, of the Diocese of Green Bay, Wis., will become the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Duluth, which serves the 10 counties of northeastern Minnesota with more than 44,000 Catholics and 71 parishes. His episcopal ordination and installation as bishop of Duluth have been set for May 20.

Felton, 66, has served as vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Green Bay since 2014. He holds a bachelor's degree from St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis., in religious studies and psychology; a master's degree in theology from St. John's University in Minnesota; and a licentiate of sacred theology and a master's degree in social communications from the Gregorian University in Rome.

Bishop-elect Felton was ordained a priest in1981. His parish assignments have included Holy Innocents in Manitowoc, St. Raphael the Archangel in Oshkosh, and St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Manitowoc. Father Felton was also the director of affiliate affairs for the Catholic Telecommunications Network of America.

Bishop-elect Felton succeeds the late Bishop Paul Sirba, who died Dec. 1, 2019. Last summer, Pope Francis appointed the Rev. Michel J. Mulloy, from the Diocese of Rapid City, to the Duluth post, but Mulloy resigned before being installed as bishop after allegations of sexual abuse of a minor surfaced in South Dakota.