Background
Etteldorf was born in the Winneshiek County, Iowa community of Ossian.
Etteldorf was born in the Winneshiek County, Iowa community of Ossian.
Bishop Etteldorf was a first cousin of the distinguished pediatrician James North. Etteldorf (1909-1997). Raymond Etteldorf was ordained as a priest of the Archdiocese of Dubuque on December 8, 1937. During his early career, he held various assignments in the Archdiocese of Dubuque.
One of his assignments was at Saint Joseph"s Prairie Church in Washington Township, about ten miles south of Dubuque.
He served as the Secretary of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See from 1967 to 1968. On December 21, 1968 Etteldorf was named the Titular Archbbishop of Tyndaris, and appointed as the Apostolic Delegate to New Zealand.
Ettledorf was consecrated on January 6, 1969 by Pope Paul VI. Archbishops Sergio Pignedoli, the Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, and Ernesto Civardi, the Secretary of the Sacred Consistorial Congregation, acted as co-consecrators. Etteldorf was then named as the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio, or personal representative of the Pope, to Ethiopia on June 21, 1974.
He held this posting until October 1982, when he was named an Official of State at the Vatican.
Etteldorf remained in this assignment until his resignation on December 27, 1984. Etteldorf died on March 15, 1986.