Robert Dwayne Gruss

Robert Dwayne Gruss (born June 25, 1955) is an American Catholic prelate serving as Bishop of Saginaw since 2019. He previously served as Bishop of Rapid City from 2011 to 2019.

Biography

Bishop Gruss leaves Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption for a charity ride for Think Adoption Not Abortion (2022)

Early life Gruss was born in Texarkana, Arkansas on June 25, 1955. He attended Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin, earning an associate degree. Gruss then received his commercial pilot license from the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He worked as a flight instructor and commercial airline pilot from 1980 to 1989. He is a member of the National Association of Priest Pilots.

Priesthood After returning to Iowa, Gruss was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Davenport by Bishop William Franklin at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport on July 2, 1994.

After his 1994 ordination, the diocese assigned Gruss as parochial vicar of St. Paul the Apostle Parish in Davenport, Iowa. He served the same role for three parishes in central Iowa from 1997 to 1998;

St. Anthony in Knoxville Sacred Heart in Melcher St. Mary in Pella. He was appointed pastor at St. Mary in 1999. Gruss returned to Rome in 2007 to serve as vice-rector of the Pontifical North American College. Archbishop John Nienstedt was the consecrating bishop, and Bishops Martin Amos and Samuel Aquila were the co-consecrators.

Bishop of Saginaw

Gruss was named Bishop of Saginaw by Pope Francis on May 24, 2019. Gruss was installed on July 26, 2019. In remarks to the media, Gruss made this statement about sexual abuse by priests:“There is no place in the church for sexual abuse of minors or anyone else, My desire is that the Church becomes holy in the way that Christ calls her to be, and those who abuse their power and authority are held to accountability.” In an appearance on Cause for Joy, a diocesan podcast, Gruss revealed his hobbies of riding "horses and Harleys".