Rev. Merle Monnens to celebrate 50th anniversary

Rev. Merle Walter Monnens will celebrate his 50th Anniversary to the priesthood on Sunday, May 7, 2006 with a Mass of Thanksgiving at Our Lady of the Lakes in Spicer-New London at 3:00 p.m., followed by an Open House Reception.

Fr. Monnens was born June 28, 1930 in St. Paul, MN and grew up in Prior Lake. He graduated from Cretin High School in 1948 before attending Nazareth Hall and the St. Paul Seminary. He was ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis on June 2, 1956, at the St. Paul Cathedral by Bishop James Byrne.

Following his ordination, his assignments included: St. Raphael, Springfield (in 1957 when the Diocese of New Ulm was created he remained in the new diocese); St. Philip, Litchfield; Holy Redeemer, Marshall; Sacred Heart, Raymond; St. Thomas More, Lake Lillian; Diocesan Director of the Apostolate for Migrant Workers; St. Joseph, Rosen; St. James, Nassau; Diocesan Director of Vocations; Diocesan Director of Personnel; St. Mathias, Wanda; St. John, Appleton; St. Joseph, Holloway; St. Andrew, Fairfax; St. Malachy, Clontarf; Visitation, Danvers; St. Bridget, DeGraff; Our Lady of Victory, Lucan; and St. Michael, Milroy. On July 1, 2000 he retired from active ministry in Spicer and currently does weekend and replacement work in the diocese.

In 1996, Fr. Monnens received the Diocesan Distinguished Service Award for “his faithful and dedicated ministry as diocesan Director of Vocations; for touching the lives of so many people in the several parishes he served, and for his special care to the sick and elderly and gentle spirit as a leader of prayer."

Everyone is welcome to join Fr. Monnens as he celebrates his 50th anniversary as a priest.