Word traveled fast in western South Dakota on Tuesday, June 25. In Washington, DC, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic delegate to the United States, issued a press release announcing Pope Francis had appointed Fr. Scott Bullock, a priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, as the bishop-elect for the Diocese of Rapid City. Diocesan Administrator, Fr. Dan Juelfs, and Chancellor, Sr. Christine Hernandez, SCTJM, sent messages to clergy and diocesan staff at 4 a.m. to keep pace with the 6 a.m. news on the East Coast.

Communications Director Jacques Daniel sent news agencies a welcome message, photo, and biography for the new ordinary. A diocesan-wide announcement was posted on the website. A 10:30 a.m. online video conference would allow area Catholics to meet the bishop-elect.

Bishop-elect Bullock opened with a prepared statement noting he had known of the appointment for just 10 days. He expressed his gratitude to the Holy Father and the papal nuncio. He was thankful for warm phone greetings by the Metropolitan Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul Paul/Minneapolis, and from Father Juelfs, Rapid City.

“Archbishop Hebda, offered a promise of his prayers for this region,” said Bishop-elect Bullock. “I come to you filled with joy at what has been and hope of what is to come!” he said.

Monday he was able to make a pilgrimage to the grave of Bishop Peter Muhich.

“I commended him to the intercession of Our Lady of Perpetual Help and at the same time, asked his prayers on my behalf, and the diocese that he served,” he said.

“In these last years, I have experienced an exponential growth in my confidence in the powerful, prayerful intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. … It is with this confidence that I consecrate the ministry of Bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City to the intercession of the Mother of God,” he added.

For his episcopal motto he chose “Surgite Eamus.” It is the title of a book written by St. John Paul II that translates “Rise, Let Us Be on Our Way.”

The term comes from Matthew 26:46 when Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane with his disciples and his betrayer has arrived.

“Jesus with love for us and for all the world says, ‘rise and let us go and do our sacred work.’ For me it’s a very hopeful suggestion that two we’re going with Jesus,” said Bishop-elect Bullock.

When asked about his plans for the diocese, he reminded those in attendance that he has only known about his appointment for 10 days, “I am really anxious to hear what has happened here already. I am confident the Holy Spirit has moved and is moving right now. I want to continue that great work that is already underway.” He added, “I have a deep concern for the youngest members of our faith and how they are being trained.”

While the size of the Rapid City Diocese geographically is larger than most other dioceses, it has a small Catholic population — just under 25, 000.

The Archdiocese of Dubuque is in northeastern Iowa and has around 180,000 Catholics. “I have seen your statistics, much smaller, and I plan to get know everybody,” he said with a smile. In his leisure time, he completed a master’s degree in English literature in 2015 and then taught Literature and English composition classes at the college level for Catholic high school students through a local community college. “I love religion and theology. I really admire great writing and hopefully I can speak that way and sometimes preach,” he concluded.

Besides his avid reading and study of literature, he also is an enthusiastic long-distance bicyclist and student of world cinema.