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Northern Indiana bishop announces retirement plans, leadership transition

February 25, 2026

[Episcopal News Service] Northern Indiana Bishop Douglas Sparks announced in a Feb. 25 message to his South Bend-based diocese his plans to retire effective August 2027, starting the diocese’s process for seeking his successor. “I remain humbled and honored to have served as your bishop these 10+ years and will continue to give you my sincere commitment during the next 18 months,” Sparks said. His announcement comes after his diocese and the Diocese of Indianapolis engaged in several years of discernment about the possibility of reunifying as one statewide diocese. Those talks ended last fall without the dioceses agreeing to merge, though Sparks noted that the door remains open to further talks. “During the next several months, working with the leadership of our diocese, we will consider whether to elect the next and ninth bishop of Northern Indiana or, because we are serious about continuing to consider the possibility of reunification with our siblings in Indianapolis, to call for the election of a bishop provisional until that decision is made,” Sparks said. His full message can be read here.