Diocese of Duluth bishop dies Sunday from cardiac arrest

Bishop Paul Sirba of the Diocese of Duluth died Sunday morning after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest at church. (Diocese of Duluth / FOX 9)

Bishop Paul Sirba with the Diocese of Duluth died Sunday morning after going into sudden cardiac arrest at church. 

The Diocese said in a statement that Bishop Sirba was at St. Rose Church in Proctor, Minnesota when he went into cardiac arrest. He was rushed to Essentia Health St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth where medical staff attempted to revive him, but were unsuccessful. 

Father John Petrich administered the last rites to him. He was pronounced dead at 9 a.m. 

Bishop Sirba was the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Duluth. 

“Words do not adequately express our sorrow at this sudden loss of our Shepherd,” Revered James B. Bissonette said in a statement. 

Plans for the funeral Mass and burial will be announced at a later date.