The silver jubilarian is Father Charles Nelson. Golden jubilarians are: Fathers Victor Kaltenbach, Philip Kraft, and Ronald Trojcak; Franciscan (OFM) Fathers Thomas Fox, Vernon Olmer and Joseph Zimmerman, and Maryknoll (MM) Father Jerry Wickenhauser.

Celebrating 60 years of priesthood are: Father Roger Simpson, and Franciscan (OFM) Fathers Nicholas Meyer, Sylvano Pera, and Method Wilson.

Father Daniel Coughlin, the 59th Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives, and the first Catholic priest to serve in that position, will be the speaker at the jubilee banquet. Father Coughlin served as the House chaplain for 11 years, retiring in 2011. He was ordained a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1960.

Celebrating 60 Years

Father Nicholas Meyer, OFM

Shortly after his 27th birthday, Father Nicholas Meyer, OFM, was ordained by Bishop William A. O'Connor at St. Francis Church in Teutopolis on June 24, 1952.

The second-youngest of a large Minnesota family, he was baptized William but took the religious name Nicholas in honor of his father. Upon his ordination Father Nicholas spent a year of sacred eloquence in Quincy and then moved to Rome for three years, where he earned his doctorate degree.

In his many decades as a priest, Father Nicholas served in a variety of places. Early on he was a lector of theology at St. Francis in Teutopolis and he was also a chaplain at St. Anthony Hospital in Effingham.

From the late 1960s until his retirement in 2001, Father Nicholas served with both religious and laypersons outside the Springfield diocese in Missouri, Michigan and Minnesota. He was a long-time retreat master and from 1979 to 1985 he was associate pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Petoskey, Mich. He was a well-known preacher and spent 16 years traveling around to different parishes conducting missions.

"You know, because I have had a number of ministries, people also ask me what I liked the best," says Father Nicholas. "I've been very blessed. I liked them all."

Since 2007, Father Nicholas has been residing with a number of other priests at Blessed Giles Friary in Sherman, where he concelebrates Mass with his fellow Franciscans.

— By Diane Schlindwein

Father Sylvano Pera, OFM

On his golden jubilee, Father Sylvano Pera, OFM, described himself as "semi-retired," but said he likes to keep busy. Now celebrating his 60th jubilee, he says, "I like to help out on weekends, filling in to say Mass for priests when they need help."

Father Sylvano lives at St. Francis of Assisi, in Teutopolis, where he was ordained by Bishop William A. O'Connor, on June 24, 1952

A native of Memphis, Tenn., he grew up in a parish where both the religious sisters who taught at the school and parish priests were Franciscans. For high school, he entered the Franciscans' minor seminary, St. Joseph Seminary in Westmont. He studied at St. Francis in Quincy and Pontificio Ateneo Antoniano in Rome. He was a lector of theology at St. Joseph, Teutopolis, and novice master and guardian at the Franciscan Tertiary Province of Sacred Heart, in Oak Brook.

He served as pastor at St. Rose of Lima, Montrose; St. Anthony, St. Louis, Mo.; and Sacred Heart, Indianapolis, Ind. He was associate pastor at St. Jude, New Lenox, and pastor at Holy Trinity, Dubuque, Iowa; again at St. Rose of Lima, Montrose; St. Aloysius, Bishop Creek; Immaculate Conception, Dieterich, and St. Joseph, Island Grove. He was chaplain at St. Francis Village, Crowley, Texas; pastor at St. Elizabeth, Marine, and St. Joseph, Island Grove; chaplain at St. Francis Village, Crowley, Tex.; again pastor of St. Elizabeth, Marine, St. Gertrude, Grant Fork, and St. James, St. Jacob; co-pastor at St. Norbert, Hardin, St. Michael, Michael, St. Anselm, Kampsville and St. Agnes, Belleview; parochial vicar at Our Lady of Lourdes, Decatur; pastor at St. Mary, McGehee, Ariz.; parochial administrator at St. Mary Help of Christians, Effingham (Green Creek) and Sacred Heart, Lillyville; and sacramental minister, Effingham.

"Studying for the priesthood as Franciscans, we understood our responsibility would be to help the diocesan priests. When a bishop does not have enough priests to fill all the parishes in his diocese, we would fill in at parishes where we were needed."

At 60 years and still ministering, he says his task is the same it has always been: "to bring Jesus to the people ... young people, old people, the sick and others. To always tell them how merciful, loving, and compassionate God is, and to help them in their struggles in life to stay close to Jesus."

— By Cathy Locher

Father Roger J. Simpson

Father Roger Simpson is celebrating 60 years as a diocesan priest. He was ordained May 31, 1952 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception by Bishop William A. O'Connor.

A Chicago native, Father Simpson says that when he was considering the priesthood he talked to an older priest who suggested, "Why don't you look for a smaller diocese?"

"So, I looked into Springfield and I am so glad I did," he says.

As a brand new priest, Father Simpson was assistant at Cathedral Parish from 1952 to 1956. He then served as assistant at Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Alton from 1956 to 1960; St. Mary in Quincy from 1960 to 1964; and St. Francis Xavier in Jerseyville from 1964 to 1966.

As a pastor, Father Simpson served at St. Luke in Virginia from 1966 to 1968, Our Lady Queen of Peace in Bethalto from 1968 to 1971 and then moved to St. Mary Parish in Edwardsville where he served from 1971 until his retirement in 1993. "Then, they kicked me out," he says and laughs.

Even though he moved to retired priest status, Father Simpson, who lives in the small town of Virginia, continued to serve others. He took a new role as hospice pastor for the Cass-Schuyler Hospice Service, where he ministered from 1993 until 2007. "Hospice was what drew my attention and it was what I really wanted to do," he says. "In the course of my hospice work I went to 50 different places and homes."

Father Simpson doesn't have to travel far to celebrate Mass in Virginia. "I live directly across the street from St. Luke Church," he says. "I help out Father Chris Brey. I celebrate Mass there every Wednesday morning and the first Saturday evening a month." He also helps out by hearing confessions in Virginia and area towns.

Father Simpson is the last surviving member of his ordination class. "All the other guys from my class have died," he says. "I'm stubborn!" As far as family goes, Father Simpson has a sister, Eileen Muriello, and a brother, Robert Simpson, and a "gaggle" of nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Although no specific date has yet been set, parishioners, family and friends will help Father Simpson celebrate his long priesthood with an upcoming Saturday evening Mass followed by a reception at St. Luke Church in Virginia.

In looking back at the priesthood Father Simpson comments, "As far as my years in the priesthood I only have one thing to say — becoming a priest was the best decision I ever made!"

— By Diane Schlindwein

Father Method (Claude) Wilson, OFM

Father Method (Claude) Wilson, OFM, was born in Oconee, grew up on a family farm in central Illinois and attended public schools. When it came time to go to high school he chose St. Joseph High School Seminary in Teutopolis, and from there went on to Quincy College. He was ordained by Bishop William A. O'Connor on June 24, 1952, at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Teutopolis.

"I volunteered to go to Brazil, as a missionary, but instead they sent me to St. Francis Parish in Quincy," he says. "Then I went to a parish in Chicago, then to Sioux City, Iowa, and then to a parish in West Monroe, La."

He was a first-hand observer of the impact Vatican II had on parishes. "People used to go to church and go to confession frequently. But right after Vatican II, everything just fell off," says Father Method. "The Mass went from Latin to English, but as far as I am concerned, I think that was a step in the right direction.

"Some people at the time had the idea that Vatican II was a gate that opened," said Father Method. "There were a lot of marriages, that fell apart, and other problems."

Father Method ended his active ministry as chaplain for the Poor Clares Monastery in Indiana. He retired in 2001 and moved to Our Lady of Angels Friary at Villa West in Sherman. "I used to have a phone, but I gave it up. It just got too expensive."

He says he likes visitors, and enjoys talking to people.

— By Cathy Locher

Celebrating 50 Years

Father Thomas Fox, OFM

Indianapolis native Father Thomas Fox celebrates 50 years as a priest this summer. He was ordained June 13, 1962 by Bishop Henry Ambrose Pinger, OFM, at St. Francis Church in Teutopolis.

Although he has spent the last year at St. Francis Solanus Parish, Quincy, as a parochial vicar, Father Thomas has been stationed in a variety of other places throughout his priesthood. In the states, his work has taken him to Joliet, Chicago, San Antonio, and back to his home archdiocese of Indianapolis.

Over the years, Father Thomas has also served in Germany, Central America and even Vietnam. He has been involved in teaching, Marriage Encounter, working for peace and justice, and has spent about 25 years in Hispanic ministry.

"It's hard for me to pick out one best thing about being a priest," he says. "Each time I've been doing something, I've enjoyed it. I basically enjoy the interaction with people and helping people to grow in their faith.

"Being a priest is a tremendous challenge and offers a fulfilling life. I would hope that men who wanted to live a meaningful life would consider the priesthood," he says. "I have been very content with my life and thank God for the experience."

Father Thomas will be celebrating with his Franciscan classmates on May 23 and in June he will have a Mass of Thanksgiving with his family in Kansas City. He expects to be receiving a new assignment this summer.

— By Diane Schlindwein

Father Victor Kaltenbach

Father Victor Kaltenbach, parochial administrator at St. Lawrence, Greenville, is celebrating his golden jubilee. He was born on his family's farm near Liberty, one of six children — three boys and three girls. All but one of his siblings are still living.

"Dad lived to be 101, which is more than double the age of our mother when she died," Father Kaltenbach says.

Father Kaltenbach attended Western Illinois University in Macomb on a full academic scholarship for three years, majoring in physics, chemistry and mathematics.

"But going into my senior year, I kept asking myself questions. What is on the outside of the universe? Where does it begin?" says Father Kaltenbach. "When I brought up those questions with my academic advisers, they suggested I go into either theology or philosophy. At the time, I had a wonderful young pastor at our parish, and after talking to him, I decided to enter the seminary."

He was a member of the first class at the diocese's Latin School, and went on study at Mundelein. He was ordained by Bishop William A. O'Connor on May 26, 1962.

Father Kaltenbach served as an assistant at St. John, Quincy; St. Mary, Alton; St. Aloysius, Springfield; and St. Patrick, Decatur. He was parochial administrator for a year at St. Mary, Marshall.

He served as pastor at St. Michael, Greenfield, and St. Catherine, Hagaman; and St. Patrick, Springfield. He served as parochial administrator at St. Lawrence, Greenville for a year, and was pastor there from 1995-2009; and presently serves there as parochial administrator.

"Bishop Joseph McNicholas wanted me to go to St. Patrick, to try to save its school," says Father Kaltenbach. "We tried, but we just didn't have enough people in the parish to run a school. It had to be subsidized."

Earlier he had experienced the closing of a parish, St. Catherine's, and understood the anguish. "But I met some terrific people there, and some of them still stay in touch, even after 30 years," he says.

Since 1994 Father Kaltenbach has also served as chaplain at the Greenville Federal Correction Institute. "It is a huge federal prison, with over a thousand inmates in the medium security facility and over 300 women in the satellite minimum security camp. I say Mass there every Sunday afternoon."

He says in his younger days, "they used to always tell me I was crazy for exercising so much. Even when I was in the seminary, the rector called me in and told me, 'You seem to be more interested in the bodily health, than the spiritual side.' Now the bishop is a marathoner."

On Saturday, May 26, "the exact date of my ordination, I am going to celebrate Mass, and we are going to have a catered dinner in the parish hall."

— By Cathy Locher

Father Philip Kraft

Father Phil Kraft was ordained to the diocesan priesthood by Bishop William A. O'Connor on May 26, 1962 in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. His first assignment as a new priest was assistant at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Springfield. "Father Dave Peters (assistant at Blessed Sacrament from 1958 to 1962) was there with me to show me the ropes," he says.

Following his years at Blessed Sacrament, Father Kraft was assistant at St. Joseph Parish in Granite City (1966 to 1967); Ss. Peter and Paul in Springfield (1967 to 1972); and St. Matthew in Alton (1972).

After taking a leave of absence to continue his studies in psychology and health science, Father Kraft served at Ss. Peter and Paul in Alton from 1979 to 1980 before being named pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus in Oconee (1980 to 1986) and parochial administrator of St. Joseph in Ramsey from 1982 to 1986. He was also a counselor of Libertas at St. John's Hospital from 1984 to 1986.

In fact, Father Kraft spent many years helping people work to overcome alcoholism. In December 1986, when Father Kraft was program director of the Hopedale Hall Alcoholism Rehabilitation Center at the Hopedale Medical Complex, he appeared on NBC's Today Show. On the show he spoke about his work with elderly people experiencing problems with alcoholism and drug dependency.

"I was on the show with a country singer (Barbara Mandrell) who was recovering from an automobile accident. At the time I didn't know who she was but we had a nice talk in the green room. They powdered her cheeks and then they powdered my head," he says with a chuckle. "She was interviewed by Jane Pauley and sang, and I was interviewed by Bryant Gumbel. ... It was quite an experience."

From 1986 to 1993 Father Kraft went to 40 different hospitals in five states speaking to nurses and counselors about dealing with alcoholism. After leaving Hopedale, he worked for the Illinois Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse from 1989 to 1993 and then for the Department of Public Aid from 1993 to 1996. "When I was at Public Aid I was working to try to get some of these drinking people back to work," he says.

In 1997 Father Kraft went back to school again, this time to Aquinas Institute to get his certification in spiritual direction. He spent the next 10 years from 1999 to 2009 as a spiritual director, working out of the Blessed Sacrament rectory and helping out as a priest there. Among others, he was spiritual director for (now deacons) Dave Erdmann, Roy Harley, Roch Magerl and Tom Burns.

For years, Father Kraft has assisted at various parishes by celebrating Mass and continues to do so in retirement. "I had 6:20 Mass there at Blessed Sacrament for several years," he says, adding that he now usually celebrates 11 a.m. Sunday Mass at Christ the King Parish.

Now 76 years old, Father Kraft still remembers what it was like to be a young man preparing to be a priest. "In the seminary, we took patron saints. I chose St. Thomas the Doubter because I had great doubts that I would ever make it to be a priest," he says. "About every six weeks we'd have exams and there would usually be one or more guys released. I went ahead, praying 'If you want me, God, keep me. If you don't, kick me out.'

"I really am thoroughly amazed that God chose me and continues to keep me here. That really shows God's grace," he says. "There's really nothing I did to deserve this."

Father Kraft has already celebrated his jubilee with Masses of Thanksgiving and receptions at Christ the King and Blessed Sacrament parishes in Springfield.

— By Diane Schlindwein

Father Vernon Olmer, OFM

Father Vernon Olmer, OFM, will be celebrating 50 years as a priest next month. He was ordained on June 13, 1962 at St. Francis Church in Teutopolis by Bishop Henry Ambrose Pinger, OFM.

Father Vernon grew up in large family on a farm in Humphrey, Neb. "There were just 11 of us," he says and then chuckles. "I have nephews that are still farmers and several of my brothers were farmers and still go out on the farm quite often."

He grows more somber when he speaks of one of his sisters; his only sibling who entered into religious life. "My sister, who was next to me and just a few years older, joined the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis. She had leukemia and died when she was just 24 years old. She is buried at the convent in Springfield. You know, the Lord takes us when we're ready."

When God called Father Vernon to the priesthood, there was no doubt that he would be a Franciscan. "The parish I was from was staffed by Franciscans," he explains. "I went to the high school seminary. There were about 100 of us to start with but only 16 became priests.

"In my day you were ordained a priest after your third year of theology, but you had to be at least 26 years old," he says. "We were called simplex priests. We couldn't hear confessions and we weren't supposed to preach that first year."

In the early years of his long priesthood, Father Vernon was a parochial vicar at St. Francis Solanus in Quincy, and in Chicago and Louisiana. He was novice master at St. Paschal in Oak Brook from 1972 to 1975 before spending eight years as pastor at a parish in Minnesota. He was also pastor at St. Aloysius Parish in Bishop Creek from 1983 to 1986 and then moved to a parish in Wisconsin for over 15 years.

Father Vernon has been serving as parochial vicar in the Springfield diocese at St. Francis of Assisi in Teutopolis and St. Rose of Lima in Montrose since 2002. He also teaches religion to children in the primary grades.

Father Vernon says looking back over 50 years, he can't imagine himself as anyone else but a priest. "As I've told some of the high school students, the personal satisfaction that I've had as a priest is more than I would have enjoyed in any other walk of life."

He'll celebrate his life in the priesthood with his classmates late in May and with a family gathering in June.

— By Diane Schlindwein

Father Ronald T. Trojcak

Taylorville native Father Ronald Trojcak was ordained by Bishop William A. O'Connor on May 26, 1962 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. Early in his priesthood, he was an assistant at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Effingham from 1962 to 1965, then at St. Patrick Parish in Decatur from 1965 to 1968.

While in Decatur, Father Trojcak was involved in several social justice issues. "When I was stationed at St. Patrick's I was deeply involved in Lyndon Johnson's 'War on Poverty,' and the civil rights movement ... ," he says. "I was also a regular participant in several ecumenical matters there."

In the late 1960s, Father Trojcak returned to his studies for several years and earned his Ph.D. from the University of St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto (Canada). "There my thesis director was (the late Roman Catholic philosopher) Leslie Dewart, the brightest man I've ever met."

Since obtaining his doctorate degree Father Trojcak has spent most of his priesthood teaching in Canada. "I have been teaching in a Catholic college, King's University College, in London, Ontario. It is a constituent college of the University of Western Ontario," he says. "I was chaplain at the college for 28 years."

Father Trojcak has also spent a year teaching at the major seminary, St. Dominic's in Lusaka, Zambia; a year at Rust College in Holly Springs, Miss.; and one year in the Springfield diocese at Quincy University.

"The students at King's come from various religious traditions," he says. "I have been most deeply impressed by the piety and ardor of the Muslim students I've taught. ... I have spent most of my years here teaching Scripture. I hope to raise the consciousness of the students to an awareness of the great and largely invisible mass of humankind who suffer from multiple forms of injustice and oppression."

Music has always played a major part in Father Trojcak's life. "I was a music major at the University of Illinois at Champaign for almost three years, before entering the seminary," he says. "Music continues to be a major, even essential part of my life. I have also been collecting African tribal art for the past 34 years."

Father Trojcak says he is "still working" and teaches as emeritus at King's University College. He is also chaplain for two other institutions in London: Brescia University College, also part of the University of Western Ontario, and Fanshawe College, a very large community college. "I celebrate daily Mass at Brescia," he says.

After 50 years as a priest, Father Trojcak naturally feels comfortable talking about his life's calling. "The priesthood, as I see it, is the 'professional' effort to advance the vision of life embodied in Jesus," Father Trojcak says, adding that he "takes the image of Jesus' foot-washing very seriously."

— By Diane Schlindwein

Father Jerry Wickenhauser, MM

Maryknoll Father Jerry Wickenhauser retired from his missionary ministry in 2004 and returned home to live in Alton. He spent 42 years in the Maryknolls, the United States-based Catholic mission movement. Father Wickenhauser credits Ursuline nuns, who owned and taught at Marquette High School in Alton, as being a big influence on his religious vocation.

Born the fifth of six boys in a family that lived on a small farm on the outskirts of Alton, three of his older brothers had served in the military during World War II.

"I was at Marquette when I first started to really think about the priesthood," he says. He had heard visiting missionary priests give talks at school and in his parish, but one in particular caught his attention. "I work with the poorest of the poor," a missionary said, describing his work in Africa.

"I heard him say those words, and something jumped in my heart," Wickenhauser says. "After that, I talked to every missionary priest who I came in contact with."

After graduating from high school, and completing two years of college at Marquette University in Milwaukee, he transferred to Maryknoll College, in Glen Ellyn, where he earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy. He earned his master's degree in religious education from Maryknoll Seminary in Ossining, N.Y., and was ordained to the priesthood there in 1962.

In later years, he earned a master's degree in spirituality from St. Louis University; a master's degree in sacred theology from Gregorian University in Rome, and studied for his doctorate at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

But why, with all those degrees, did he choose to work with the poor?

"I think that God loves the poor because their lives are more interesting. They have to struggle to survive day by day," says Father Wickenhauser.

He celebrated his first Mass at St. Ambrose Church in Godfrey in 1962. For his golden jubilee, Father Wickenhauser will celebrate the 10:30 a.m. Mass at St. Ambrose on Sunday, May 20, with coffee and donuts afterward in the parish hall.

— By Cathy Locher

Father Joseph F. Zimmerman, OFM

Father Joseph Zimmerman of the Order of Friars Minor is celebrating his golden jubilee. Father Joseph was ordained June 13, 1962, by Bishop Henry Ambrose Pinger, OFM, at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Teutopolis.

A native of Decatur, Father Joseph went into the seminary right out of eighth grade at St. James School in Decatur. He went to St. Joseph Franciscan Seminary in Westmont for high school and his first two years of college, spent a year at the Franciscan novitiate in Teutopolis, and studied philosophy for three years at a Our Lady of Angels Seminary in Cleveland. He then returned to Teutopolis for four years of theology.

"We were ordained simplex priests after three years of theology, but couldn't preach or hear confessions for the first year. We would be given a written sermon, or homily, to read, but did not write it. Then after that a dozen of us came to Quincy for pastoral internships. We did a month at a hospital, some spent time teaching at Christian Brothers High School, others at Notre Dame High School, and we had a variety of other experiences. The teaching was designed to get us accredited as high school teachers."

Father Joseph was sent to graduate school in Boston in 1964, where he was awarded a doctorate in sociology from Harvard University in 1973, using a study of St. Peter's Church in the Chicago Loop as his doctoral dissertation.

"I was 35 years old before I started teaching," says Father Joe, as QU students and staff came to call him, from 1970 to the present. During these years he served as chair of the Division of History and Social Science, and as president of the Faculty Senate.

"I was guardian of the Franciscan Community, which is like the local superior, from 1978 to 1984, then an ordinary teacher until 1998, when I did more administrative work."

Today he still helps pastors in the area with Mass and confessions on weekends, as Franciscans have always done.

"In recent years I've worked with Father Roy Bauer to help people become more acquainted with Father Augustus Tolton. I'm teaching Latin at the university, and trying to write an introductory sociology textbook from the Gospel perspective.

"I'm involved on the Task Force for Racial Justice in the diocese, and involved in issues working for racial justice in the Quincy area."

He has a brother, Vincent Zimmerman in Springfield.

"I am pleased to have been able to help the clergy of the diocese over the years in whatever way I can."

— By Cathy Locher

Celebrating 25 Years

Father Charles Nelson

Father Charles Nelson is a native of Springfield. His family was the first black Catholic family at Ss. Peter and Paul Church. He attended the parish grade school, spent one year at Cathedral Boys Catholic High School then went to a Franciscan preparatory seminary in Hinsdale the next year. "But I didn't stay, I was too homesick," says Father Nelson.

After graduating from Feitshans High School, he went to work at Sangamo Electric Co., only to be drafted into the Army. He served his military duty and returned home.

"It was always in the back of my mind that I might someday be a priest," says Father Nelson. He was a lector and extraordinary Communion minister at St. Joseph Church in Springfield, when one of the Viatorian priests at the parish told him, "the bishop is looking for some vocations."

But Nelson thought of himself as "too old."

"Oh, no, you're never too old," Father George Aujer, CSV, told him. But then Bishop Joseph McNicholas died. Things were put on hold for a while, then Msgr. Paul Sheridan, diocesan administrator, notified Nelson he was accepted for study and sent him to Pope John XXIII Seminary in Weston, Mass., a seminary for older men studying for the priesthood.

On May 16, 1984, at age 51, Father Nelson was ordained a priest by Bishop Daniel L. Ryan at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. He was the first black man in 101 years to be an ordained priest in the diocese.

Father Nelson served as parochial vicar at St. Ambrose in Godfrey, then at Our Saviour in Jacksonville, and in 1991 was named parochial administrator at All Saints, White Hall; St. Bartholomew, Murrayville; St. Mark, Winchester, and St. Patrick, Bluffs.

"When I was first assigned to those parishes, and moved to Winchester, there was some concern that my being black, might be a problem," Father Nelson says. "But I thought, like my mom always told me, 'Just be yourself, and the kind of person you are will come to the fore.'

"Probably some of the best friends I have made in my life, people of different faiths, are here in Winchester. Older people here of different faiths have asked that I preach at their funerals. I think that goes to dismiss the rumors that there are racial tensions in small communities. People here are very loving, very helpful, and will do anything they can for you."

He admits there was a time that he had hoped to be assigned to one of the bigger parishes in Quincy or Springfield. But when it came time for his retirement, he chose to stay in Winchester.

"I look at those little parishes now, and realize they were one of the best blessings that God could have given me, because they were really good people."

Family and friends will join Father Nelson on Sunday, May 20, at St. Joseph Church in Springfield, where he will celebrate the 10:30 a.m. Mass.

— By Cathy Locher