Donald J. Hying

Donald Joseph Hying (born August 18, 1963) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as the bishop of the Diocese of Madison in Wisconsin since 2019. Hying previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Gary in Indiana from 2015 to 2019 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in Wisconsin from 2011 to 2015.

Biography

Early life The youngest of six sons, Donald J. Hying was born on August 18, 1963, in West Allis, Wisconsin, to Albert and Catherine Hying. He attended St. Aloysius and Immaculate Heart of Mary grade schools, and graduated from Brookfield Central High School in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Hying received his bachelor's degree from Marquette University and his Master of Divinity degree from Saint Francis de Sales Seminary in St. Francis, Wisconsin.

Priesthood On May 20, 1989, Hying was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee by Archbishop Rembert Weakland.

Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee On May 26, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Hying as titular bishop of Regiae and auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He was consecrated by Archbishop Jerome Edward Listecki at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on July 20, 2011, with Auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba and Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan serving as co-consecrators.

Bishop of Gary

On November 24, 2014, Pope Francis appointed Hying as the fourth bishop of Gary, replacing the retiring Bishop Dale Joseph Melczek. Hying's installation in Gary took place on January 6, 2015. While he was bishop of Gary, Hying oversaw that diocese's first synod in 2017.

Bishop of Madison On April 25, 2019, Pope Francis named Hying as bishop of Madison to replace the late Bishop Robert Morlino. Hying was installed on June 25, 2019.

In March 2020, Hying announced that investigators had found two sexual abuse allegations against Reverend Patrick Doherty, a retired diocesan priest, to be credible. Hying had already placed restrictions on Doherty.

In June 2020, Hying criticized the destruction by protesters of religious statues during protests after the murder of George Floyd by a policeman. He also stated that some statues might merit removal and storage. Hying also condemned civil rights activist Shaun King for calling for the destruction images of Jesus as a white man.