The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

Bishop John Clayton Nienstedt was born March 18, 1947, in Detroit, Michigan. He is the son of Jack and Betty Nienstedt of Harrison Township and the second oldest in a family of six children. He has two brothers and three sisters. His parents are members of St. Paul Parish, Grosse Points Farms, and St. Hubert Parish, Harrison Township.

Bishop Nienstedt was ordained to the priesthood on July 27, 1974, at Sacred Heart Church, Dearborn, Michigan, following studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, and the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome.

Bishop Nienstedt holds a Bachelor of Arts from Sacred Heart Major Seminary; a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University; and a Licentiate and Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Institute of Saint Alphonsus, Rome. His doctoral topic was “Human Life in a Test-tube; the Moral Dimension of In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer.”

In 1994, Bishop Nienstedt was appointed Pastor of the Shrine of the Little Flower Parish, Royal Oak, Michigan. Prior to that, he served for six years as Rector and President of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan.

Bishop Nienstedt’s previous assignments include: Associate Pastor, Guardian Angels Parish, Clawson, Michigan; Priest-Secretary to Cardinal John Dearden; weekend Associate Pastor, St. Fabian’s Parish, Farmington Hills, Michigan, and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Farmington, Michigan; Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Detroit; service in the Vatican Secretariat of State; and Pastor, St. Patrick’s Parish, Union Lake, Michigan.

On June 12, 1996 Bishop Nienstedt was named an Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit by Pope John Paul II. He was ordained a Bishop on July 9, 1996 by Cardinal Adam J. Maida, Archbishop of Detroit. Bishop Nienstedt served as Bishop for the Dearborn, Downriver, Monroe, Northwest Wayne, Southland, and Western Wayne Vicariates.

On June 12, 2001 Pope John Paul II named Bishop Nienstedt the Third Bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota. He was installed on August 6, 2001.

On April 24, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop John C. Nienstedt as Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of New Ulm.

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			MEET COADJUTOR ARCHBISHOP NIENSTEDT Bishop John Clayton Nienstedt was born March 18, 1947, in Detroit, Michigan. He is the son of Jack and Betty Nienstedt of Harrison Township and the second oldest in a family of six children. He has two brothers and three sisters. His parents are members of St. Paul Parish, Grosse Points Farms, and St. Hubert Parish, Harrison Township. Bishop Nienstedt was ordained to the priesthood on July 27, 1974, at Sacred Heart Church, Dearborn, Michigan, following studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, and the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome. Bishop Nienstedt holds a Bachelor of Arts from Sacred Heart Major Seminary; a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University; and a Licentiate and Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Institute of Saint Alphonsus, Rome. His doctoral topic was “Human Life in a Test-tube; the Moral Dimension of In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer.” In 1994, Bishop Nienstedt was appointed Pastor of the Shrine of the Little Flower Parish, Royal Oak, Michigan. Prior to that, he served for six years as Rector and President of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan. Bishop Nienstedt’s previous assignments include: Associate Pastor, Guardian Angels Parish, Clawson, Michigan; Priest-Secretary to Cardinal John Dearden; weekend Associate Pastor, St. Fabian’s Parish, Farmington Hills, Michigan, and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Farmington, Michigan; Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Detroit; service in the Vatican Secretariat of State; and Pastor, St. Patrick’s Parish, Union Lake, Michigan. On June 12, 1996 Bishop Nienstedt was named an Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit by Pope John Paul II. He was ordained a Bishop on July 9, 1996 by Cardinal Adam J. Maida, Archbishop of Detroit. Bishop Nienstedt served as Bishop for the Dearborn, Downriver, Monroe, Northwest Wayne, Southland, and Western Wayne Vicariates. On June 12, 2001 Pope John Paul II named Bishop Nienstedt the Third Bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota. He was installed on August 6, 2001. On April 24, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop John C. Nienstedt as Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of New Ulm. Home \| Meet The Bishops \| Parishes \| Central Offices \| Links \| Calendar Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis 226 Summit Avenue Saint Paul, MN 55102 (651) 291-4400 communications@archspm.org