DAVENPORT, Iowa — For only the tenth time in more than 140 years, a new bishop will be appointed for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport.
On June 25, 2024, the church announced that His Holiness Pope Francis appointed Bishop-Elect Dennis G. Walsh for the Diocese of Toledo to serve the Davenport Diocese.
Bishop-Elect Walsh will be the tenth Bishop of the Diocese of Davenport. The diocese was established in 1881 and has more than 83,000 members in its 74 parishes throughout the southeast portion of Iowa.
Walsh's ordination and installation is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 27 at a time and location yet to be determined.
The preceding bishop, Most Rev. Thomas R. Zinkula, now serving as Archbishop of Dubuque, issued a statement saying in part:
It is with great joy that we received today the good news of the appointment of a new shepherd for the Diocese of Davenport, Rev. Dennis Walsh, a priest of the Diocese of Toledo (Ohio).
Bishop-elect Walsh is the answer to the diocesan prayer for a bishop who will "please [God] by his holiness" and "show [the Diocese] watchful care."
Based on my experience as the ninth bishop of Davenport, I assured Bishop-elect Walsh that he will find the clergy and laity of the Diocese to be welcoming and faith-filled.
Biography for Bishop-Elect Walsh:
Bishop-Elect Walsh is the son of Daniel (deceased) and Marilyn Walsh in Lima, OH. He attended Elida Local Schools where he graduated in 1983.
He attended the Redemptorist College seminary at St. Alphonsus College, Suffield, CT earning a BA in philosophy. He did his graduate work in Theology at Washington Theological Union, Washington, DC graduating with a Master of Divinity (MDiv. 1992).
He professed temporary vows as a Redemptorist in 1986 and final vows in 1991.
Bishop-Elect Walsh was ordained as a Redemptorist Priest in 1992 in the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. After ordination, he was sent to St. Anthony Parish, Guayama, Puerto Rico for six months to learn Spanish. When he returned, he was assigned to St. Michael Parish in Baltimore as a Parochial Vicar. In 1994, he was transferred to Immaculate Conception, South Bronx, New York City as a Parochial Vicar.
In 1998, he returned to Ohio for assignment as Parochial Vicar for St. Mary Parish in Sandusky.
In 2000, he was incardinated into the Diocese of Toledo in America to become a diocesan priest.
In 2002, he was assigned as pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish, Defiance until 2007 when he was assigned as pastor of St. Patrick of Heatherdowns in Toledo.
From 2015 to today, he has served as Pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish, Delphos, OH, and St. John the Baptist Parish, Landeck, OH, and since 2016, St. Patrick Parish, Spencerville, OH, and Head of School for St. John the Evangelist Elementary and High School.
Other current assignments:
- Chairman of the College of Consultors
- Board of Directors for Toledo Diocesan Management Corporation
- Trustee for Toledo Diocese Health Benefits Trust
- Trustee for Toledo Diocese Property and Casualty Trust
- Trustee for Toledo Properties Trust
- Advisory Committee for Catholic Investment Trust
- Priest Personnel Board
Other past assignments:
- Chairman of the Diocesan Presbyteral Council
- Member of the Priest Retirement Board of Toledo Diocese
- Dean of St. Junipero Serra Deanery
In his free time, he likes golf and history, loves movies, and incorporates them into his homilies and sermons.