James T. Schuerman

James Thomas Schuerman (born April 5, 1957) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who currently serves as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin since 2017.

On May 17, 1986, Schuerman was ordained to the priesthood. Pope Francis appointed Schuerman auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee on January 25, 2017. On March 17, 2017, Schuerman was consecrated as a bishop.

Bishop-elect Schuerman is currently serving as Pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish, Lake Geneva, and as Supervising Priest of Holy Cross Parish, Bristol.

Bishop-elect Schuerman attended Saint Francis de Sales Seminary College from 1976 to 1980, earning a Bachelor’s of Arts degree and, after attending Saint Francis de Sales Seminary for his first year of theology from 1980 to 1981, was selected for studies at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, earning his Masters of Theology. His first assignment was Associate Pastor at St. Anthony Parish, Milwaukee from 1986 to 1992. He then was selected for missionary service at the Archdiocesan sister parish, La Sagrada Familia, in the Dominican Republic, where he served from 1992 until 1996.

In August 1996, Bishop-elect Schuerman enrolled in a special graduate program at Chicago Theological Union for returning missionaries where he earned a doctorate in ministry with specialization in spirituality. He joined the faculty of Saint Francis de Sales Seminary as spiritual director and faculty member from 1997 to 2009. In 2009, he became administrator of St. Andrew Parish, Delavan, and then Pastor at St. Andrew in 2010. From 2011 to 2012, he also served as Pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Elkhorn. In 2012, he became Pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish, Lake Geneva. He continues his role in priest formation, serving as adjunct spiritual director for Saint Francis de Sales Seminary.

Bishop-elect Schuerman speaks German and is highly fluent in Spanish, which has aided his ministry in the southwestern area of the archdiocese where there is a growing population of Hispanic Catholics. He received the archdiocesan Vatican II Award for Service to the Priesthood in 2012.

Born in Burlington to his parents, Robert and Elizabeth Schuerman, Bishop-elect Schuerman grew up in Lyons, was a member of St. Joseph Parish, and attended St. Joseph’s Grade School, Burlington Jr. High School, and Burlington High School. Bishop-elect Schuerman has four siblings, Virginia (Sam) Kalaveshi, Robert (Jean Ann) Schuerman, Jr., Theresa Schuerman (Mark Leemkuil) and David Schuerman.