John Thomas Folda (born August 8, 1961) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Fargo in

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

since 2013.

Biography

Early life

John Thomas Folda was born on August 8, 1961, in

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...

. He graduated from St. Thomas More Elementary School and Archbishop Ryan High School in Omaha and attended the

University of Nebraska A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

in Lincoln, Nebraska, earning bachelor and masters degrees. Folda then attended St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, receiving a

Master of Divinity For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and divi ...

degree.

Priesthood

Folda was ordained a priest by Bishop Glennon Flavin for the

Diocese of Lincoln The Diocese of Lincoln forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. The present diocese covers the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire. History The diocese traces its roots in an unbroken line to the Pre-Reformation Diocese of Leices ...

on May 27, 1989. He received a

Licentiate in Sacred Theology Licentiate in Sacred Theology ( la, Sacrae Theologiae Licentiatus; abbreviated STL) is the second of three ecclesiastical degrees in theology (the first being the Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology and the third being the Doctorate in Sacred Theol ...

from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (''Angelicum'') in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

in 1993. After his ordination, Folda served as an assistant pastor at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ Parish and taught religion at St. Pius X High School, both in

Lincoln, Nebraska Lincoln is the capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers with a population of 292,657 in 2021. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 73rd-largest in the United Sta ...

, from 1989 to 1991. From 1993 to 1995, he served as the pastor of St. Paulinus Parish in Syracuse, Nebraska and Holy Trinity Parish in

Avoca, Nebraska Avoca is a village in Cass County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 178 at the 2020 census. History Avoca was platted in 1882 when a new railroad line was extended to that point. The village is named after the River Avoca, in Irelan ...

. At the same time he was a teacher and counselor at Lourdes Central Catholic High School in Nebraska City, Nebraska. Beginning in 1995, Folda served as pastor of St. Leo Parish in

Palmyra, Nebraska Palmyra is a village in Otoe County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 545 at the 2010 census. History Palmyra was platted in 1870. Its name commemorates the ancient city of Palmyra. 1925 editionis available for download aUniversity of ...

and St. Martin Parish in

Douglas, Nebraska Douglas is a village in southwest Otoe County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 166 at the 2020 census. History Douglas was platted . Douglas was the maiden name of the wife of the original owner of the town site. 1925 editionis ava ...

. Folda was named the diocesan director of religious education and co-vicar for religious in 1997. The following year, he was named the spiritual director at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in

Seward, Nebraska Seward is a city and county seat of Seward County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 6,964 at the 2010 census. Seward is part of the Lincoln, Nebraska Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is known for its large Fourth of July (Independ ...

, and rector in 1998.

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

named Folda a

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 with respect to ecclesiastical dress and vestments.monsignor Monsignor (; it, monsignore ) is an honorific form of address or title for certain male clergy members, usually members of the Roman Catholic Church. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian ''monsignore'', meaning "my lord". "Monsignor" ca ...

" in 2007.

Bishop of Fargo

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

named Folda as bishop of the Diocese of Fargo on April 8, 2013. He was consecrated on June 19, 2013 at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Fargo, North Dakota. Archbishop John Nienstedt was the principal consecrator. Archbishop Samuel Aquila and Bishop James D. Conley were the co-consecrators. On July 2, 2021, Folda announced that Bishop James Sullivan, a former bishop of Fargo, had been added to a list of clerics with credible accusations of sexual abuse of minors. Sullivan, who died in 2006, had been accused of abusing two boys in

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...

, when he was a priest. The diocese renamed a middle school named after Sullivan.

References

External links

Roman Catholic Diocese of Fargo Official Site

Episcopal succession

{{DEFAULTSORT:Folda, John 1961 births Living people Clergy from Omaha, Nebraska St. Charles Borromeo Seminary alumni Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas alumni Roman Catholic Diocese of Lincoln Roman Catholic bishops of Fargo 21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in the United States Religious leaders from Nebraska Bishops appointed by Pope Francis