The Staff

Fr. John Rutten

Priest Director

Greetings! I'm Fr. John Rutten, the eighth of nine children from Sioux Falls. I was eager to leave home and the University of South Dakota quickly became a home and important part of my formation from 1996-2000! My business degree took me to Chicago and then Minneapolis with companies that asked me to travel all over the country. I loved it! However, I was missing an important part of life and in 2004 I met the tangible love of Jesus Christ, which made my return to the Catholic Church possible. It wasn't long before I knew Jesus was calling me to follow Him in a more vocational way. 

In 2012 I was ordained and assigned to Sacred Heart Parish in Yankton, where I was able to reconnect to the St. Thomas More Newman Center. I have loved the last ten years of priesthood in parish life, but I am very grateful to begin my tenth year of priesthood as the Director of a ministry which impacts so many young people. As a priest, I have greatly enjoyed seeing how the Holy Spirit works in the life of all people but young people especially. I am eager to see what He will continue to do at the St. Thomas More Newman Center. I am humbled to be the next link in the long line of priests who have guided the almost 60 year history of this mission to help young people discover the tangible love of Jesus Christ ... before they graduate! I must have slipped through the cracks...but fortunately for me and for all people, the crack in our hearts will eventually make His Light more tangible!