Diocese of Joliet announces new auxiliary bishop

Rev. Dennis E. Spies has been named auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Joliet.

The announcement was made by Pope Francis on Friday, according to a news release from the diocese.

Spies since July has been vicar for clergy for the Diocese of Joliet, a position to which he was appointed by Bishop Ronald Hicks. His local connections include an assignment as associate pastor at St. Mary Immaculate Parish in Plainfield from 2005 to 2008.

“Father Dennis is a wonderful priest who has already worn many hats in his priesthood including pastor, seminary leader and the vicar for clergy,” Hicks said in a statement in the release. “He is hardworking, prayerful, and ‘down to earth’ with a very relatable manner.”

Spies grew up in the Iroquois County community of Ashkum where he was in the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish. He is a graduate of Clifton Central High School. He graduated in 1990 from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture-business economics.

After graduation, Spies ran a soybean business on the family farm, according to the release from the diocese. In 1997, he entered Mudelein Seminary at University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein where he graduated with a master’s degree in divinity in 2002.

Spies was ordained a priest in 2002 at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus in Joliet.

The episcopal ordination for Spies will take place at the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus on November 6.

Before his assignment as vicar for clergy in the Joliet diocese, Spies served since 2016 as director of pre-theology and internship at Mundelein Seminary.

He has been a pastor Our Lady of Lourdes in Gibson City, St. George in Melvin, and Immaculate Conception in Roberts. He also was pastor at St. Liborius in Steger, Mother Teresa Catholic Academy in Crete, and St. Mary Parish in Park Forest.

Spies was an associate pastor at St. Walter’s Parish in Roselle after his ordination and before becoming associate paster at St. Mary Immaculate Parish in Plainfield.

He also has served the diocese as chairman of the Diocesan Presbyteral Council, dean of the Will County Deanery for parishes and priests, and spiritual director for the Institute of Priestly Formation.

The Diocese of Joliet includes Will, Grundy, DuPage, Kendall, Ford and Iroquois counties.