News Release #393

Five priests of Catholic Diocese of New Ulm receive papal honor of the title "Monsignor"

New Ulm, MN - The Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of New Ulm, has announced that Pope Benedict XVI has conferred upon five priests of the Catholic Diocese of New Ulm papal honors of the title of “Monsignor”, recognizing the priest’s service to the Church.

There are generally three grades of papal honors that bear the title “Monsignor” – the Protonotary Apostolic, the Prelates of Honor to His Holiness, and the Chaplains to His Holiness. Priests who are monsignors of one rank may be elevated from one rank to another at the will of the Pope.

Rev. Douglas L. Grams has been named a Prelate of Honor with the title “Monsignor,” and Rev. Francis J. Garvey, Rev. Eugene L. Lozinski, Rev. John A. Richter, and Rev. Robert J. Wyffels have been named Chaplains to His Holiness , also with the title “Monsignor.”

The diocesan bishop nominates candidates for the honor and submits the names and biographies to the Holy See. Once the Holy Father confers the honor onto the priest, the Vatican Secretariat of State issues a diploma designating the new title and rank and recognizing the newly-made monsignor’s service to the Church. Priests who are given papal honors and thus named monsignors are considered to be members of the papal household and thus are listed in the Ann uario Pontificio (the papal yearbook).

A diocesan celebration of this conferral is scheduled for Sunday, February 26, 2006 , at 3:00 p.m. at the Church of St. Mary , New Ulm, MN.

Brief biographies of the new Monsignors: