Eighth Bishop of Sioux Falls Paul J. Swain has died

A renowned bishop with the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls has died, according to an obituary from Miller Funeral Home in Sioux Falls.

Bishop Paul J. Swain, 79, died in hospice care Saturday under Avera Dougherty Hospice, according to his obituary.

A liturgical wake service will unfold at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 2 in the Cathedral of St. Joseph, and a mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. Dec. 3 at the Cathedral as well, his obituary states.  A visitation will be held at 1 p.m., prior to the wake.

"It is with heavy heart that we announce the passing of Bishop Emeritus Paul J. Swain," the diocese stated Sunday afternoon on Facebook. "Bishop Swain entered into eternal life late last night, after receiving all of the sacraments and prayers the Church offers as one approaches death. In your kindness, please hold Bishop Swain in your prayers."

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Swain as the eighth bishop of Sioux Falls in August 2006. He was consecrated as bishop in October of that year, according to the diocese website.

"I remember coming here in 2006, and I'd never been to South Dakota in my life," said Swain in 2020.

He was a priest in Madison, Wisconsin before being appointed bishop. That's when Fr. Charles Cimpl, who'd been with the diocese since 1978, met him.

"Right when I first met him," Cimpl said, "I knew there were some qualities that would endure through the years."

He was humble. Prayerful. He understood that as a leader, he needed good people around him. And he had a laid-back attitude that brought a sense of peacefulness.

"His style was not as out there in front, (it was) more behind the scenes," Cimpl said.

More:Here are all of Sioux Falls' Catholic bishops throughout history

Swain would go on to serve Catholics in the area for 14 years, before retiring in 2020. He was replaced by the ninth bishop, Bishop Donald DeGrood, from the Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis, announced December 2019.

But Swain's leadership was not without its trouble.

South Dakota is a largely rural state, and with resources and priests stretched thin, some smaller parishes have had to either close or combine with a neighboring parish, part of a four-year planning process the diocese has undergone.

"It's a hard thing to do," Swain said. "but necessary to do."

Cimpl said under Swain, the consolidation went smoothly.

"Everybody likes to have the church in their hometown, and he was very sensitive to that. But also sensitive to the fact that we had to use our power to the best of our abilities.”

Swain also mentioned the child sex abuse allegations that have plagued the church, including a list of 11 priests from his own diocese who had substantiated claims of abuse made against them ranging from 1958 to 1992.

More:Paul Swain led area Catholics for 14 years. Now retiring, he reflects on his legacy.

The names were published in March of 2019, along with a two-page letter from Swain in which he encouraged any other victims to come forward.

"It's important for victims to feel that they've been listened to, and to feel that they have credibility," Swain said. "Obviously, they're very personal stories. So I just wanted to support them, and encourage them, and encourage others to support them. And hopefully some healing can come as a result."

Looking 14 years back, Swain said he had no idea what he was doing when he first arrived in the wide open spaces of South Dakota, but he considered the opportunity's challenges and privileges to be "a great gift." And the opportunity has changed him.

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"I made the choice to stay in Sioux Falls after I retire because I feel close to the people, I feel close to South Dakota now," he said at the time of his retirement, according to Argus Leader archives.

The Diocese of Sioux Falls covers roughly 35,000 square miles of South Dakota, east of the Missouri River and serves a population of roughly 125,000 Catholics.

This story is developing. Check back for more.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls Bishop Paul J. Swain died Saturday in hospice care