by Deacon Ryan Pope
Prairie Catholic correspondent
For over forty years, Fr. Andrew Michels, commonly known as Father Andy, has approached his priesthood much like he does his favorite hobby: ham radio.
As a young boy, Father Andy learned about ham radio through a neighbor and spent countless hours listening for distant voices. In his ministry, he has similarly tuned his heart to God, faithfully transmitting that grace to the people he serves.
An Amateur Extra Class licensed ham radio operator, a certification issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Father Andy laughs that he once spoke with people as far away as Spain and Japan and even heard Radio Berlin and Vatican Radio. However, the most significant and meaningful communication in his life has been the one he shares with the Lord. “I’ve experienced God in many different ways,” he said. “Sometimes during Reconciliation, I realize that the words coming out of my mouth aren’t mine; they’re His.”
Fr. Andy Michels serves the Mary, Mother of God Area Faith Community (Marshall, Cottonwood, Tracy, and Milroy). He will retire from active ministry on July 1. His love of a religious vocation began as a young boy, as did his enthusiasm for his favorite hobby: ham radio.
This awareness of God as the Holy Spirit, His divine presence within him, has profoundly shaped Father Andy’s priesthood from the very beginning. His sense of vocation began stirring as early as sixth grade, though his love for the Church began even earlier. “From second grade on, I never doubted the Eucharist was the Body and Blood [of Christ],” he said. He remained active in the Church through high school and college, supported by a priest-seminarian friend who helped shape his studies. He also explored religious life through a residency program with the Crosier Fathers in Fort Wayne, Ind., before making the decision to pursue the diocesan priesthood. He was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of New Ulm in March 1985.
Formed by holy mentors
Father Andy recalls the formation he received early in his priesthood, reflecting on the influence of what he calls “walking saints,” particularly brother priests Monsignor Eugene Lozinski and the late Monsignor John Richter. He credits both men with teaching him through their example, especially their deep reverence for the liturgy and their constant availability, always ready to receive and ready to give.
He remembers his early years with Monsignor Richter with particular gratitude, saying, “He was a very holy man. . . he taught me the rites in a way they never did in seminary.” Those lessons became the foundation of a ministry marked by patience, reverence, and a profound love for the sacraments.
Communicating with God
Ask Father Andy what part of parish life he will miss most in retirement, and he does not hesitate: Reconciliation. “It’s a blessing for us priests,” he said. “That’s one time when we can give people the grace of God and often the wisdom of God.”
Father Andy is convinced that God is always communicating, if people are willing to listen. He describes moments when passages of Scripture he has read many times suddenly come alive, as though highlighted by God to be received anew. At other times, a new homily comes to mind just minutes before Mass, replacing the one he had prepared. “I’d say, ‘Lord, could you have given me this earlier?’” he joked. “But he [God] has a sense of humor.”
That same humor has often carried Father Andy through challenges, including dyslexia, which can cause words to invert or even seem to disappear from the Roman Missal during Mass. He learned to adapt with notes, ribbons for bookmarking, memorization, and a steady sense of humor. “My friends joke that if I say, ‘turn right,’ they know to go left,” he laughed.
Teaching, guiding, and accompanying
Father Andy’s love for teaching has been a constant thread in his life and ministry. Whether in Catholic schools, parish classrooms, or with the Boy Scouts, he has delighted in helping young people discover their faith.
An Eagle Scout himself, Father Andy has taught the Ad Altare Dei program for Catholic Scouts for years, helping boys grow in virtue and sacramental life. He also recalls helping students who struggled with dyslexia, drawing on his own experience to support their learning. He takes joy in seeing former scouts and students flourish. “I read the paper and think, oh, he’s doing this, and he’s doing that,” he said, revealing a pastor who never stopped praying for the people entrusted to him.
Moving forward in faith
After more than four decades of ministry, Father Andy is preparing to retire from active ministry on July 1, and he does so with mixed emotions. “My heart doesn’t want to leave,” he admitted, “but my body and mind say the time has come.” He plans to stay active: visiting family, traveling with friends, and occasionally assisting with Mass coverage. While he looks forward to more freedom, he carries a deep love for the people he has served.
When asked what he hopes parishioners remember about him, he paused for a moment. “I hope I gave them an example of what it means to love God,” he said. “That all the good we do comes from him. My goal was to help them come to the love of God, so they, too, can get to heaven.”
Asked what he would like to leave parishioners with, Father Andy offered a simple exhortation: “We must pray for one another. Pray for the souls in purgatory and for those who have no one to pray for them. Pray for mercy and have trust and faith in God. If we believe and trust him, we will follow him. Focus on God, especially when tempted by sin—don’t focus on the sin, but on God.”
For Father Andy, focusing on God can be as simple as praying through singing the Divine Mercy Chaplet, remembering that the Stations of the Cross are “not simply for Lent, but year-round, and learning from the holy artwork, icons, and stained glass that surround the faithful.
A life tuned to God
In ham radio, communication depends on careful tuning: finding the right frequency, preparing the equipment, listening through the static, and transmitting with clarity. Father Andy’s priesthood has been much the same: a life spent tuning himself to God, preparing himself and others to receive grace, listening for Christ, and sharing him with humility, humor, and unwavering faith.
As he approaches retirement, Father Andy feels a deep sense of gratitude. “I’ve truly enjoyed this journey,” he stated simply. “I feel incredibly blessed. I ask that people keep me in their prayers, as I will pray for all.”