University of Mary President Appointed Monsignor

President Monsignor James Shea

According to the Bismarck Tribune, University of Mary President James Shea, 37, was one of six western North Dakota priests appointed as monsignor in early December. Bismarck Bishop David Kagan made the announcement online through the diocesan web site.

Shea was named the sixth president of the University of Mary in 2008. He previously served as pastor at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Killdeer and St. Paul’s Church in Halliday, and as school chaplain at Trinity High School in Dickinson. He also worked at St. Mary’s High School. A native of Hazelton, he graduated from Hazelton-Moffit-Braddock High School in 1993, and was ordained a priest in July 2002.

According to the news release, this was the first time a monsignor had been named in the Diocese of Bismarck since December 1991. There are now seven monsignors in the diocese. Monsignor is a title of honor granted by the pope, usually at the request of the local bishop.

The title of monsignor honors a priest’s service to the Catholic Church and bears no extra duties or responsibilities except for the privilege of wearing different vestments during liturgical celebrations.