By Bishop Scott Bullock

Between September 3-11, 2025, I had the opportunity to attend what was called “The Course for New Bishops” in Rome, the annual event to which were invited all the recently-appointed bishops from the last year. This course is intended to introduce new bishops throughout the world into the functioning of the Holy See, the various offices of the Vatican and, in particular, to its leader, our new Pope Leo XIV. Rather than providing a drawn-out detailing of the perhaps 20 “lectures” and other events that characterized the gathering, perhaps a few “snapshots” that characterized the event might afford some insights into what happened during this gathering of the nearly 200 new bishops who had been appointed and ordained during this last year.

I was a bit late to the party. The last annual course was held in mid-September 2024, concluding just a couple days before I was ordained in Rapid City on September 23 of that year. The course is definitely compulsory — no new bishop is excused! However, due to its proximity to the ordination date, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Christophe Cardinal Pierre, requested (and was granted!) a delay in my participation until this year. As a result, I was one of the more experienced bishops — and in fact not very much so!

My reviews from my brother bishops of the United States who had already attended the course in previous years were spot on: The highlight of the course was, definitely, meeting new bishops from all around the world. I was amazed to hear the stories — of where the new bishops were when they received a call to serve as bishops, the extraordinary and inspiring circumstances where they now serve, and the deep faith and beautiful pastoral qualities embodied by these modern-day apostles. I heard stories of bishops from the wilds of Australia, the Pacific islands, from our Canadian neighbor to the north, from across Europe, as well as from the approximately dozen new bishops from our United States. The common denominator among them all was a deep desire to serve Jesus and his Church, often in very trying and challenging circumstances. It was an inspiring boost to this new bishop.

The canonization of two new saints coincided with the course! In one of the most solemn acts of our Church, the Holy Father declared two new role models — saints — to be among the communion of saints that has preceded us, interceded for us, and inspires us. St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, 1901 – 1925, and St. Carlo Acutis, 1991 – 2006, were solemnly presented to us a worthy models of holiness and sure intercessors from heaven. I found the ceremony, where I was seating perhaps 25 feet from the pope, to be exceptionally moving and beautiful. I kept thinking: What a joy to gather with thousands of fellow believers to celebrate … holiness! Human holiness — God’s grace perfecting our humanity: there is nothing more radiant and beautiful! Back in our diocese, I was thrilled to gather this month at the Student Center at South Dakota School of Mines to rededicate the center as the “St. Carlo Acutis Catholic Student Center.” Our students there indeed have a radiant role model of devotion to the Eucharist and our Blessed Mother Mary to encourage and inspire their lives of faith. As a personal note, I’m rather certain that I was able to attend the “beatification” (the final step towards a canonization) of Pier Giorgio Frassati, in May 20, 1990, as a seminarian.

Pope Leo XIV … our first American pope. Besides encountering the Holy Father at the canonizations, our course was able to spend a beautiful three hours with him on September 11, the final day of the course. I found him to be a pope with a beautiful humanity, a lively sense of humor, and an evident deep peace, of the type that only Christ can give. He spoke to us of his vision of the ministry of bishops and then spent about an hour in “fraternal dialogue” with his brother bishops. At one point, he quipped that it would have been appropriate if he had attended the Course for New Bishops, as he was a new bishop … of Rome! As the course ended on this “high,” I left with a renewed respect for the universal church and the inspiring men who lead its dioceses through the world!