RENO — Pope Francis has named Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg as the eighth Bishop of Reno after having accepted Bishop Randolph R. Calvo’s request for retirement. Bishop Mueggenborg currently serves as Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Seattle.

He will be introduced to the priests and religious of the diocese on July 20 at St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral. The presentation will be live-streamed at 10 a.m. at https://youtu.be/jB-DkOpOPZ4. Bishop Mueggenborg will be installed as the Bishop of Reno on September 24.

Born and raised in rural western Oklahoma, Bishop Mueggenborg graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1984 with a geology degree and a related computer science degree. He attended the pre-theology program at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana and the theology program at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Tulsa in 1989.

Bishop Mueggenborg completed a Licentiate degree in Biblical Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 1990. During his 30+ years as a priest, Bishop Mueggenborg has served as parochial vicar and pastor in several parishes and in a variety of ministerial roles, including high school chaplain and teacher, Newman Center chaplain, Director of Clergy and Education, and Vicar for Religious.  He also served on the administrative staff of the Pontifical North American College and was adjunct professor at the Gregorian University. Pope Francis appointed him Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle on April 6, 2017, and he was ordained bishop on May 31, 2017.

Bishop Mueggenborg comes from a farming and ranching family and enjoys mountain biking and hiking in his free time. He has climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and has hiked the Grand Canyon as well as a substantial portion of the Camino de Santiago. He credits his love for the outdoors to his rural upbringing and his involvement in the Boy Scouts of America.

Bishop Calvo has been named Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Reno until Bishop Mueggenborg is officially installed as bishop in September. Bishop Calvo was appointed bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on December 23, 2005. He has served as Bishop of Reno for more than 15 years and has been a priest for more than 44 years, serving the Archdiocese of San Francisco prior to his appointment to Reno.

 The Diocese of Reno was erected in 1931 by Pope Pius XI.  In 1995, Pope John Paul II created the Diocese of Las Vegas from the Diocese of Reno’s five southern counties. The Diocese of Reno is comprised of the 12 northern counties of Nevada. It is a mission diocese serving 80,000 Catholics who reside within its 70,000 square mile boundary. The diocese has 28 parishes, six missions, four elementary schools and one high school. Thirty-two active priests and 28 permanent deacons serve the diocese. Fourteen retired priests and one retired bishop reside in the Diocese of Reno.

Contact: Father Robert Chorey
775-326-9429