By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
September 9, 2004

Bishop Dennis Schnurr, bishop of the Diocese of Duluth, Minn., will return to his home diocese, the Diocese of Sioux City, to speak at the Eighth Annual Bishop's Dinner for Catholic Education on Oct. 17. The bishop's dinner is an initiative of the Catholic School Foundation of the Diocese of Sioux City and celebrates Catholic schools.

Bishop Schnurr was born in Sheldon and raised in Hospers and his mother Eleanor continues to reside in that Sioux County community. The bishop was educated in St. Anthony's Grade School in Hospers and graduated from Spalding Catholic High School in Granville in 1966.

"Bishop Schnurr is representative of all the great students who have attended or are attending Catholic schools in the Sioux City Diocese," said Sherry Nilles, development director at Spalding. "He is an outstanding example of the quality education received in our Catholic schools. He is also a wonderful representative of the commitment to Catholic education by all the fine people of the diocese. I can't think of any other representative of our Catholic schools who exemplifies the 'Catholic' in our Catholic schools."

Bill Penning, a high school classmate of Bishop Schnurr, noted that the bishop was quiet and shy in high school. He remembers that he and Bishop Schnurr had physics class together and added that the bishop was the smartest and he was the second.

"I am proud to be in the same class as him," said Penning. He commented that he thinks it is a good idea to have Bishop Schnurr come speak. He explained that he has heard the bishop speak a couple of times and thinks his talk will be interesting.

"It is very exciting," said Nilles. "It is wonderful to have someone graduate from our little school and gain such prominence. He is such a nice person. We are proud of him as we are of all of our graduates. To have him come back for that weekend is wonderful. It certainly gives credit to all of the people of this area that work so hard to keep this school going - especially the Hospers people, what a tribute to them."

Bonnie Wigg, another classmate of Bishop Schnurr, is from Granville and currently living in Sioux City. She remembers him as an easygoing person that never had an enemy and was always ready to help someone.

"I am very proud to say I know him. He is a very intelligent and caring individual," said Wigg. "He has done very well for himself and given a lot of his life for people."

Bishop Schnurr earned a bachelor's degree at Loras College in Dubuque. He studied for the priesthood at the North American College and Gregorian University, both in Rome. Schnurr was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Sioux City in 1974.

After serving in the diocese, he was sent for graduate studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He then served the Diocese of Sioux City in numerous roles including vice chancellor, chancellor, finance officer and judge of the Diocesan Tribunal.

In 1985, he returned to Washington, D. C. where he served in a number of prominent roles including General Secretary of the United States Catholic Conference and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. Pope John Paul II named him a monsignor in 1993 on the occasion of World Youth Day, an event for which he served as National Executive Director.

He was ordained the eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Duluth on April 2, 2001.

Bishop Schnurr holds a master's degree from Gregorian University and a doctorate in canon law from The Catholic University of America.

"I feel that with him speaking, it will make everyone even more proud," said Nilles. "I know that pride is a sin, but I think we need to have pride in what we have done and what the people from our school have done. We certainly have a reason to be proud of him and his family."

Tickets for the 8th Annual Bishop's Dinner for Catholic Education are on sale and are priced at $125 per person. The dinner will be held at the Sioux City Convention Center in downtown Sioux City. For more information, contact the diocesan Office of Development at (712) 233-7524.