Date of Birth June 17, 1935 Home Parish St. Paul, Scranton; St. Joseph, Jefferson: St. Mary, Humboldt. I was born in Nebraska and my family moved to Iowa in 1942. High School Jefferson Public High School, Jefferson College Major or Career Background Philosophy - Major. Spanish Date of Ordination May 27, 1961 Current Parish St. Michael, Whittemore; St. Joseph, Bode Interests and Hobbies: Reading, traveling, walking, and taking care of my pet dog since 1974 Influences: My parents were faithful Roman Catholic Christians who taught by example and by words. Morning and evening prayers always included an Our Father and Hail Mary for the Pope, Bishop and religious men and women. I was blessed to have a wonderful seven and a half years in Catholic grade school - St. Joseph in Carroll, Iowa. Best thing about priesthood: All of it.

Typical Day:

I don't know that there is a typical day. Since my wake-up call (heart attack) four years ago, I get up about 4:30 AM, shave, pray the prayer of readings from the Divine Office, take my mile walk, which is long enough to pray 15 decades of the Rosary. I'm in Church for confessions before Mass Tuesday and Friday and Mass at 7:00 AM with Rosary to follow. I teach religion two mornings a week at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School in Algona. The rest of the day is too varied to describe but never, ever dull. Boredom is unknown to me.

Vocation Story:

I first thought about the priesthood when I started serving Mass in fourth grade. The years passed and in high school I discovered that there was another half of the population called girls. I knew that my mother and four sisters were not boys but they were simply family. My high school experience was a healthy one. I wasn't a very good dancer but I enjoyed a balanced social life along with a spiritual life of Mass every Sunday and Holy Day and monthly confession. I am so grateful to God for the gift of life, the Catholic Faith and my vocation to the priesthood. After 48 years as a priest I have no regrets. I have served with seven Bishops, including my time on loan in the Diocese of Sioux Falls. They were all good to me and good to work with. After spending 30 years in high school teaching (including 25 years as a high school principal/superintendent), I now have been a pastor of a parish for 16 years. I've taught Religion, Latin, English, Spanish, and World History. Most of all, I enjoy teaching what God teaches through His Holy Catholic Church. To help people of school age (and any age) to better understand God and their relationship with Him is a great joy. I thank God every day for the privilege of being a priest and pray every day for our seminarians and chief shepherds and teachers, Pope Benedict XVI and Bishop Nickless. There are other intentions but these are certainly primary. I am adamantly pro-life/anti-abortion - and the whole culture of death.

*To all who may be thinking about the priesthood I say, "Give God a chance. Everything that we are and have is a gift from Him for which we can never thank Him enough. Whatever we give Him in return is a mere pittance in comparison.

*Long live Christ the King. Let us pray for each other. Together with Saint Sir Thomas More I say, "May we merrily meet in Heaven".