Diocese of Rapid City


Parish: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Kenel, South Dakota
  • Kenel, South Dakota
  • Pastor: Reverend Tony Grossenburg

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish is located on the Standing Rock Reservation. It is the oldest in the Diocese of Rapid City and the only church of any denomination in Kenel and serves as a source of hope and light for people in the community. The reservation was the home of the great spiritual leader, Sitting Bull. There are high rates of substance abuse, poverty, and depression on the reservation. Assumption parish could not survive without outside assistance to cover property insurance, heating and electrical bills and living expenses for the pastors and two sisters.


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Parish: St. Aloysius

  • Bullhead, South Dakota
  • Pastor: Reverend Tony Grossenburg

St. Aloysius parish is located on the Standing Rock Reservation, which extends into two states. This reservation was the home of the great spiritual leader, Sitting Bull. The community lost the church in Bullhead due to fire in 2005 and the community is working to rebuild the church. The need remains critical to continue and expand services to the Native community.

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Parish: St. Anthony

  • Buffalo, South Dakota
  • Pastor: Reverend Gary Oreshoski

St. Anthony is located in a sparsely populated area comprised mostly of prairie lands which support the dominant occupations of farming and ranching. The parish grouping of Buffalo, Ralph, Reva and Cox struggle to provide the financial support necessary to carry on the work of the Church. There are less than 150 families that are served in this 2,670 square mile area. This financial assistance is critical to assure that pastoral services are available to the rural areas of the diocese. As pastor of these parishes, Fr. Gary Oreshoski travels long distances to provide Mass, religious education, and other services.
These rural parishes struggle to survive under difficult economic conditions. The land has been stricken with drought for nearly five years and the parish does not have the financial means to reimburse the priests and religious staff for the mileage incurred through their services.

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Parish: St. Bernard

  • McLaughlin, South Dakota
  • Pastor: Reverend Tony Grossenburg

St. Bernard parish is located on the Standing Rock Reservation, which extends into two states. It serves as the main parish on the reservation where a pastor and associate pastor minister to the needs of the people. These two diocesan priests minister to the needs of all five mission parishes on the reservation as well as St. Bernard's parish. The priests live in McLaughlin and go out from here as a team across the Reservation. The reservations many problems include alcohol and drug abuse, physical and psychological violence and sexual abuse. Over 80% of the children in religious education are Native American. In recent years, McLaughlin has had an epidemic of teenage suicides. In each instance, the parish sought to bring the compassion of Christ to the suffering families by their presence.


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Parish: St. Joseph

  • Faith, South Dakota
  • Pastor: Reverend John Heying

St. Joseph's Church is located prairie area supporting ranching and farming families. They have brought not only a strong work ethic to this region but also a deep commitment to their faith. Their faith journey started with Mass celebrated in homes during 1910 followed by the use of a train depot and opera house until the first church was built in 1917. Shortly after their new church building was completed in 1998, the area was struck by a drought. The families had no means to pay off the debt for the new church.