Austin Vetter
# Austin Vetter

Austin Anthony Vetter (born September 13, 1967) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Helena in Montana since 2019.

## Biography

### Early life

Austin Vetter was born on September 13, 1967, in Linton, North Dakota. After attending North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota, from 1985 to 1989, he studied for the priesthood at Cardinal Muench Seminary in Fargo from 1986 to 1989. Vetter then attended the Pontifical North American College in Rome, earning a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in 1992.

### Priesthood

On June 29, 1993, Vetter was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Bismarck at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck, North Dakota, by Bishop John Kinney. After his ordination, Vetter's pastoral assignments in North Dakota parishes included:

* Parochial vicar at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit
* Pastor of St. Martin's in Center
* Pastor of St. Patrick's in Dickinson
* Pastor at St. Leo the Great in Minot

While completing his pastoral assignments, Vetter also served as a religion instructor at St. Mary's Central High School in Bismarck (1994-1999). He later became an adjunct faculty member at the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. (2004-2007).

In 2012, Vetter returned to Rome to serve as director of spiritual formation at the Pontifical North American College, a post he would hold for six years. After returning to Bismarck in 2018, he was named rector of Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.

### Bishop of Helena

Pope Francis appointed Vetter as the eleventh bishop of the Diocese of Helena on October 8, 2019. Vetter was consecrated by Archbishop Alexander Sample on November 20, 2019.

