John Balthasar Brungardt

John Balthasar Brungardt (born July 10, 1958) is the sixth Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dodge City, Kansas.

Early life and education

Bishop Brungardt was born on July 10, 1958 in Salina, Kansas to Francis Balthasar and Virginia (née Burton) Brungardt, where he was one of six brothers and sisters in a strong Catholic family. He chose his Confirmation Saint as Saint Joseph because he is a great role model for Catholic men and boys. He graduated from Benedictine College with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics with a minor in mathematics in 1980. He furthered his studies at Iowa State University, earning a Master of Science in physics in 1983, and at Kansas State University, earning a Doctor of Philosophy in curriculum and instruction. Brungardt had his "first career" as a science and computers teacher, moving to Wichita, Kansas in 1985 and teaching at Wichita Collegiate School and then at Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School.

In 1990, Brungardt's mother died and that caused him to go through a spiritual reawakening, where he went to Fr. Paul Coakley for spiritual direction and vocational discernment. He entered priestly formation at Pontifical College Josephinum, where he earned a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Moral Theology in 1998.

Ordination and ministry

Brungardt was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Wichita by Bishop Eugene Gerber at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on May 23, 1998. As a diocesan priest, he served numerous assignments, including chaplain and religion teacher at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School, Director of the Office of Respect Life and Social Justice, and pastor of seven different parishes. In 2003, he spent five months in Mexico, studying the Spanish language and culture. From 2005 until 2010, he was Chancellor of the Diocese and Moderator of the Diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry.

Bishop of Dodge City, Kansas

In November 2010, Father Brungardt received a call from Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States. saying that Pope Benedict XVI had selected him to be sixth Bishop of Dodge City, replacing Bishop Ronald Gilmore, who had served there since 1998. On February 2, 2011, he was consecrated bishop by Archbishop Joseph Naumann, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe with Bishops Michael Jackels and Ronald Gilmore acting as co-consecrator.

Brungardt chose his episcopal motto, "Filled With Compassion", from the story of the Prodigal Son found in the Gospel of Luke. The left side of his coat of arms is the shield of the Diocese of Wichita. The right side is divided into two halves. The superior side features a sun, which has a two-fold meaning: the sun symbolizes the light of God and the sunflower, which is the state flower of Kansas. The lower half features a rose, which also has a two-fold meaning. It shows the bishop's devotion to Mary, who is sometimes referred to as the "Mystical Rose" and is a representation of the Castilian roses given to St. Juan Diego by Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is the patron of the Diocese of Dodge City. Brungardt joins two other recent episcopal appointments from the Diocese of Wichita, Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City and Bishop James Conley of Lincoln.