Early life

Jeffrey Grob was born on March 19, 1961, in Cross Plains, Wisconsin to Gerald Grob and Bonnie (Meinholz) Grob, both dairy farmers.^[1] He attended Saint Francis Xavier School in Cross Plains. After deciding to enter the priesthood, Grob attended Holy Name High School Seminary in Madison, Wisconsin. ^[2]

Grob then entered Saint Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, Indiana, then finished his undergraduate education at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Ohio. He received Bachelor of Religious Studies degree from the Josephinum in 1988.^[2] Grob attended Saint John's University in Minnesota for one year, then continued his studies at Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois. Grob received a Master of Divinity degree in 1992.^[2]

Priesthood

On May 23, 1992, Grob was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Chicago by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.^[2][3]

After his ordination, the archdiocese assigned Grob as resident and assistant pastor at Sts. Faith, Hope and Charity Parish in Winnetka, Illinois. In 1994, he assumed the additional responsibility of assistant chancellor for the archdiocese. Grob earned a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in 1999 from Mundelein Seminary.

After receiving his licentiate, Grob left Winnetka to attend Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario. On weekends, he performed pastoral duties at St. Basil Parish in Ottawa. Grob received a Licentiate in Canon Law in 2000 from Saint Paul.^[2] His doctoral thesis was a comparative study of the 1614 and 1998 versions of the rite of exorcism.^[1][4][5]

After Grob returned to Chicago, Cardinal Francis George named him as a judge of the archdiocesan court of appeals in 2003. He received his first appointment as pastor in 2005 at St. Anne Parish in Hazel Crest, Illinois.^[5]

Grob soon returned to Ottawa; he received a Doctor of Canon Law degree from St. Paul University in 2007 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Ottawa. Back in Chicago in 2008, Cardinal George appointed him pastor of St. Celestine Parish in Elmwood Park, Illinois and dean of Deanery IV-D. In 2015, Cardinal Blase Cupich named Grob as judicial vicar for the archdiocese. In 2017, he was elevated to chancellor.^[3][5]

Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago

Pope Francis appointed Grob as an auxiliary bishop of Chicago and titular bishop of Abora on September 11, 2020.^[6][7][8] On November 13, 2020, Grob was consecrated at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago by Cupich, with Auxiliary Bishops John R. Manz and Joseph N. Perry serving as co-consecrators.^[3]