The Catholic Spirit is honored to celebrate the priests who are marking 10, 25, 50 and 60 years of priestly ministry this year. In addition to the jubilarians featured on page 16, the following men are observing these significant anniversaries of their ordination to the priesthood. Congratulations to all of the archdiocesan priests — including those not listed below — celebrating milestone anniversaries this year.

10 years (2011 ordination)

Father Cole Kracke, 46, has served as pastoral minister at St. Michael in Farmington since 2020. He has also ministered at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Hastings (2011-2015), St. Mathias in Hampton (2015-2020), St. Mary in New Trier (2015-2020) and St. John the Baptist in Vermillion (2015-2020).

 

 

Father Jonathan Kelly, 48, has served as rector of St. John Vianney College Seminary since June 1. He has also ministered at All Saints in Lakeville (2011-2014), served as formator at the seminary (2014-2021) and ministered at Corpus Christi (2018-2020) and St. Rose of Lima (2018-2021) in Roseville.

 

 

Father Nathan LaLiberte, 36, has served as pastor of Nativity of Mary Church and School in Bloomington since 2019. He has also ministered at St. Stephen in Anoka (2011-2013), St. Michael in St. Michael (2013-2015), Ave Maria Academy in Maple Grove (2014-2015), St. Maximilian Kolbe in Delano (2015-2019) and Our Lady of the Lake in Mound (2019).

 

 

25 years (1996 ordination)

Father Kevin Finnegan, 59, has served as pastor of Our Lady of Grace in Edina since 2014 and as canonical administrator at St. John Paul II Catholic School in Minneapolis since 2015. He has also ministered at St. Edward in Bloomington (1996-1999), then-Immaculate Conception (1999-2000) and Divine Mercy in Faribault (2000-2014), St. Patrick in Shieldsville (2004-2012), St. Canice in Kilkenny (2004-2007) and St. Michael in Kenyon (2005-2014).

 

 

Father John Mitchell, 54, has served as pastor of St. Pascal Baylon in St. Paul since 2018, and as canonical administrator of St. Pascal Regional Catholic School since 2019. He has also ministered at St. John Neumann in Eagan (1996-2000), St. John the Baptist in Jordan (2000-2005), St. Pius X in White Bear Lake (2005-2012, 2017), Immaculate Conception in Columbia Heights (2012-2018), St. Bridget in Minneapolis (2016-2017) and Sacred Heart in St. Paul (2019-2020).

 

Father Michael Miller, 56, has served as pastor of St. Catherine in Spring Lake and St. Patrick in Cedar Lake since 2015. He has also ministered at St. Joseph in West St. Paul (1996-2001), then-St. Joseph and then-St. Peter in Delano (2001-2008), St. Mary and St. Michael (2008-2015) and St. Croix Catholic School (2008-2015) in Stillwater.

 

 

Father Thomas Wilson, 57, has served as pastor of All Saints in Lakeville since 2008. He has also ministered at Epiphany in Coon Rapids (1996-2001), then-St. John in St. Paul (2005-2008) and St. Michael in Farmington (2014-2015). He also served as chaplain for the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services (2000-2002) and as director of the vocations office (2001-2008).

 

 

50 years (1971 ordination)

Msgr. Aloysius Callaghan, 74, is serving as parochial vicar for St. Ignatius in Annandale and St. Timothy in Maple Lake through July 31, and will become formation director at St. John Vianney College Seminary Aug. 1. He has also served as rector and vice president of The St. Paul Seminary (2005-2018), chaplain at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center (2006-2016), rector emeritus at The St. Paul Seminary (2018-2019), minister to clergy at the chancery Parish and Clergy Service’s office (2018-2019), vicar of the Retired Clergy Office (2018-2019), occasional ministry at St. Timothy in Maple Lake (2018-2019) and formation advisor at the Pontifical Irish College in Rome and at St. John Vianney College Seminary (2019-2020). Msgr. Callaghan is a priest of the Diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Father Balufu (Cletus) Basekela, 75, retired in 2019 after serving as parochial administrator at St. Jerome in Maplewood from 2007-2019. He also ministered at St. Mark in St. Paul (2000-2001) and Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville (2001-2007).

 

 

 

Father George Grafsky, 76, retired in 2015 after serving as pastor of St. Anne in Le Seuer from 2003-2015. He also ministered at St. John the Evangelist in Little Canada (1971-1972), Maternity of Mary in St. Paul (1972-1975), the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul (1975-1977), St. Pascal Baylon in St. Paul (1977-1981), St. John the Evangelist in Little Canada (1981), St. Michael in Kenyon (1981-1985), St. Michael in Pine Island (1981-1985), St. Catherine in Spring Lake (1985-1992), St. Patrick in Cedar Lake (1985-1992), Most Holy Redeemer in Montgomery (1992-2003), the Knights of Columbus (chaplain, 1993-2003) and St. Patrick in Shieldsville (1995-1997).

Father James Notebaart, 76, retired in 2010 after serving as pastor of Gichitwaa Kateri in Minneapolis (2008-2010), where he also served in 2016-2017, and as director of the Indian Ministry Office (1989-2010). He also ministered at St. Michael in Stillwater (1971-1973), Nativity of Mary in Bloomington (1973-1974), served as assistant director of the archdiocesan worship center (1974-1975), and ministered at St. Peter in North St. Paul (1974), St. Rose of Lima in Roseville (1974-1975), Our Lady of Grace in Edina (1975), as an instructor at St. Dominic Major Seminary in Zambia (1986-1989), as director of the Worship Center at the chancery (1975-1986) and served Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Minneapolis (1984-1986).

Father William Stolzman, 83, retired in 2008 after serving as canonical administrator at then-St. Mary in Shakopee (2007-2008). He also ministered at then-St. Mark in Shakopee (1988-1993), and at Immaculate Conception in Columbia Heights (1993-1994).

 

 

Father Stephen O’Gara, 76, retired in 2014 after serving as assistant priest, co-pastor and pastor of Assumption in St. Paul (2005-2014). He also ministered at St. Olaf in Minneapolis (1971-1973), St. Thomas the Apostle in Minneapolis (1973-1979, 1988-2005), St. Dominic in Northfield (1979-1988), Annunciation in Hazelwood (1980-1988), Christ the King School and St. Thomas School (2002-2005). He also served as parochial administrator at Assumption in 2017 after retirement.

 

Father Jerome Keiser, 75, retired in 2015. He ministered at St. Rose of Lima in Roseville (1971-1974), served an assignment outside the archdiocese (1982-1987) and ministered at St. Mark in St. Paul (1987-2001) and at St. Francis of Assisi in Lake St. Croix Beach (2001-2015).

 

 

 

60 years (1961 ordination)

Father Robert Valit, 93, retired in 2001 after serving as associate pastor of Our Lady of Grace in Edina (1993-2001). He also ministered at then-St. Anne in Minneapolis (1974-1975), North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale (1975-1978), St. Margaret Mary in Golden Valley (1975-1978), St. Columba in St. Paul (1978-1980), St. John the Evangelist in Little Canada (1980-1982), then-St. Luke in St. Paul (1982-1983), St. John the Baptist in Dayton (1983-1989) and St. Peter in Forest Lake (1989-1993).

Father John Siebenaler, 86, retired in 1997 after serving as parochial administrator (1989-1990) and pastor (1990-1997) of St. John the Baptist in Dayton. He also ministered at St. Mary’s Hospital (1961), Christ the King in Minneapolis (1961-1962), St. Charles Borromeo in Minneapolis (1962-1963), St. Olaf in Minneapolis (1963-1968), Corpus Christi in Roseville (1968-1970), St. Augustine in South St. Paul (1970-1974), then-St. Thomas in St. Thomas (1974-1977), St. Nicholas in New Market (1977-1989) and HealthEast St. Joseph Hospital in St. Paul (1988).

Father Kenneth Ludescher, 89, retired in 2004 after serving as pastor of St. Jerome in Maplewood from 1976-1995 and 1996-2004. He also served St. Jerome as assistant priest (1970-1972) and as parochial administrator (1972-1976), and served on the faculty of (1961-1970) and as “vicar econome” (1966-1970) at the then-College of St. Catherine in St. Paul.

 

Father Roger Hessian, 86, retired in 2005 after serving as pastor of St. Pius V in Cannon Falls from 1992-2005. He also ministered at St. Rose of Lima in Roseville (1961-1966), Christian Family Movement (1964-1966), Annunciation in Minneapolis (1966-1968), then-Immaculate Heart of Mary in St. Paul (1968-1970), St. John Vianney in South St. Paul (1970), St. Rita in Cottage Grove (1971-1972), Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese (1972-1975), St. Peter in North St. Paul (1975-1977), then-St. Leo in St. Paul (1977-1981) and St. Joseph in Red Wing (1981-1992).

Father William Whittier, 86, retired in 1999 after serving as parochial vicar at St. Mary of the Lake in White Bear Lake from 1997-1999. He also ministered at Maternity of Mary in St. Paul (1961-1965), St. Matthew in St. Paul (1965-1971), St. Pius X in White Bear Lake (1971-1978), St. Edward in Bloomington (1979-1982), St. Bridget of Sweden in Lindstrom (1982-1994), was assigned outside the archdiocese from 1994-1996, and served Immaculate Conception in Columbia Heights (1996-1997).