Dear People of the Diocese of Rapid City,

You are receiving one of our best priests as your new bishop. Bishop-elect Scott Bullock has been my vocation director, pastor, fellow seminary formator, friend, and most importantly a brother priest.

I want to share a story that reveals that.

When I was a seminarian at St. Pius X Seminary, our small college seminary program in Dubuque, I was taking a class on the Reformation and we were reading the famous work of Martin Luther, “The Bondage of the Will,” in that work Martin Luther expresses his belief in the total depravity of human nature and I was wrestling with the text and showing my wrestling in a rather loud and agitated way.

During that same time, he walked by my room and said, “Bob, is everything alright?” I looked up and was a little embarrassed that he found me in such an agitated state. He then asked, “What are you reading?” I answered, “The Bondage of the Will” by Martin Luther. He then said, “Oh I see!,” and he started laughing with a smile on his face. He then said, “Put your book down and come with me to the Common Room (our television room).”

He went to his room and brought a DVD and said, “You have to watch this movie, it will help you.” He put in the movie, “Babette’s Feast.” The movie tells the story of a French Cook who was exiled to Scandinavia and how she showed the power and goodness of God’s love through the good things of this world. It was a sacramental masterpiece.

To this day, whenever I watch “Babette’s Feast” I remember Fr. Scott and him sharing what he found helpful to him that would also help me to see the beauty of God’s love.

Bishop Bullock always points to what helps. He points to where God is and he does it in the most disarming ways like a movie for a seminarian who was in the midst of his studies. He gave me a lifelong gift and he didn’t even know it.

That is the depth of a man who is conformed to Christ who is now your Bishop.

Jesus, please continue to shepherd the heart of Bishop-elect Scott Edward Bullock so that he can always point his people to you!

Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Bob Gross
Priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque