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March 7, 202540 years of Priesthood – (Ordained in 1985)
Father Mike McDonald
June 7, 1985 – Ordained to the priesthood by Most Rev. Lawrence McNamara at St. Mary’s, Grand Island
July 1, 1985 – Associate pastor of St. Leo’s, Grand Island
July 1, 1988 – Associate pastor of St. Patrick’s, Sidney
July 1, 1991 – Pastor of Sacred Heart, Burwell; St. Theresa, Ericson
July 1, 1993 – Pastor of Assumption of the BVM, Sargent, in addition to Sacred Heart, Burwell
July 1, 1997 – Pastor of Prince of Peace, Kearney; pastoral responsibilities at UNK Newman Center
July 1, 2012 – Pastor of St. Joseph, Chappell; St. Elizabeth, Oshkosh; and St. Gall, Lisco
July 1, 2014 – Pastor of Christ the King, Gering
July 1, 2016 – Additional duties as pastor of St. Theresa, Mitchell; Sacred Heart, Lyman; and St. Ann, Morrill40 years of Priesthood – (Ordained in 1985)
Father Dave Rykwalder
June 7, 1985 – Ordained to the priesthood by Most Rev. Lawrence McNamara at St. Mary’s, Grand Island
July 1, 1985 – Associate pastor of St. Patrick, North Platte
July 1, 1987 – Associate pastor of St. Mary’s, Grand Island
Aug. 1, 1990 – Pastor of St. Patrick, Eddyville; St. Boniface, Callaway; and St. Mary’s, Oconto
Oct. 1, 1994 – Pastor of St. Anthony, Farwell; and St. Joseph, Elba
July 1, 1997 – Pastor of St. Libory, St. Libory; and St. Joseph, Wolbach
Nov. 27, 2001 – Pastor of All Souls, Bridgeport; Sacred Heart, Bayard; and St. Mary’s, Dalton
July 1, 2017 – Retired from active ministry50 years of Priesthood – (Ordained in 1975)
Father Lou Nollette
May 23, 1975 – Ordained to the priesthood by Most Rev. John Sullivan at St. Mary’s, Nenzel
June 12, 1975 – Associate pastor of St. Patrick, North Platte
July 1, 1980 – Associate pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Grand Island
July 1, 1982 – Pastor of St. Patrick, Eddyville; St. Mary’s, Oconto; and St. Boniface, Callaway
July 1, 1987 – Pastor of Sacred Heart, Greeley; and St. Patrick, Scotia
July 1, 1992 – Pastor of Immaculate Conception, Rushville; and St. Columbkille, Hay Springs
July 1, 1993 – Pastor of St. Mary’s, Mullen; St. Joan of Arc, Brownlee; All Saints, Hyannis; and St. Thomas, Thedford
July 1, 2000 – Pastor of St. Mary’s, Pleasanton; St. Gabriel’s, Hazard; and St. Mary’s, Prairie Center
July 1, 2002 – Pastor of St. Josaphat, Loup City; St. Francis, Ashton; St. Gabriel’s, Hazard; and administrator of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Paplin
July 1, 2006 – Pastor of St. Pius X, Ainsworth; and Holy Cross, Bassett
July 1, 2011 – Pastor of Holy Rosary, Alliance; and St. Bridget, Hemingford
July 1, 2014 – Retired from active ministry55 years of Priesthood - (Ordained in 1970)
Father Jack Rademacher
May 29, 1970 – Ordained to the priesthood by Most Rev. John Paschang at St. Josaphat’s in Loup City
June 19, 1970 – Assistant pastor of St. Ann’s, Lexington
June 7, 1973 – Associate pastor of St. James, Kearney
July 1, 1981 – Pastor of Assumption of the BVM, Sargent; and St. Wenceslaus, Geranium
July 1, 1985 – Pastor of Sts. Peter & Paul, St. Paul; and St. Joseph’s, Wolbach
July 1, 1987 – Pastor of St. Pius X, Ainsworth; Holy Cross, Bassett; and Sacred Heart, Wood Lake
July 1, 1996 – Pastor of St. Leo’s, Grand Island
July 1, 2009 – Retired from active ministry55 years of Priesthood - (Ordained in 1970)
Father Charles Torpey
December 20, 1969 – Ordained to the priesthood at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Grand Island by
Bishop John L. Paschang (Class of 1970 in Rome)
July 31, 1970 – Assistant at Blessed Sacrament, Grand Island Religion Teacher at GICC
June 20, 1974 – Associate pastor of St. Patrick’s, Sidney
1976 – 1978 – Graduate studies in Canon law at Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
May 1978 – J.C. L. in Canon Law from University of America, Washington, D.C.
June 8, 1978 – Diocesan marriage tribunal & faculty at GICC w/ residency at Blessed Sacrament
July 5, 1978 – Officialis for the marriage tribunal
July 1, 1981 – Named Chancellor
May 9, 1983 – Appointed Vicar General
November 30, 1983 – Judicial Vicar for the tribunal
July 1, 1988 – Pastor of St. Agnes, Scottsbluff
July 1, 1996 – Pastor of St. James, Kearney
July 1, 2009 – Pastor of St. Leo’s, Grand Island
July 1, 2014 – Retired from active ministry60 years of Priesthood - (Ordained 1965)
Bishop William Dendinger
May 29, 1965 – Ordained to the priesthood in the Omaha Archdiocese
1965-1970 – Taught at Petersburg and Elgin Catholic high schools (now Pope John XXIII)
1970 – Entered military as chaplain; named captain on June 17, 1970
July 1970 – June 1972 – Base chaplain, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
July 1972 – December 1974 – Yokota Air Base, Japan
December 1974 – August 1978 – Cadet wing chaplain, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs
May 1, 1979 – Named major in U.S. Air Force
September 1979 – September 1980 – Chaplain at Osan Air Base, South Korea
September 1980 – January 1982 – Chaplain at Mather Air Force Base, California
January 1982 – February 1985 – Chaplain for Resource Board, USAF Chaplain Service Institute, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
February 1985 – May 1988 – Chaplain at Hahn Air Base, West Germany
June 1988 – June 1993 – Plans and programs officer in the Office of the Air Force Chief of Chaplain Service; chief of plans and programs division, Office of the Air Force; chief of chaplains at Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
1994 – Named a prelate of honor by Pope St. John Paul II (title of monsignor)
December 1995 – June 1997 – Deputy chief of Air Force Chaplain Service, USAF Headquarters, Washington D.C.
June 1997 – May 2001 – Chief of the Air Force Chaplain Service
May 2001 – Retired as a two-star general
2002 – 2004 – Pastor of St. Stephen the Martyr, Omaha
Oct. 14, 2004 – Named bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island by Pope St. John Paul II
Dec. 13, 2004 – Ordained as the seventh bishop of Grand Island Diocese at St. Mary’s, Grand Island
Jan. 14, 2015 – Retired as bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island
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WHAT IS A CHRISM MASS?Catholics are called together each year for the celebration of the chrism
Mass during which the bishop consecrates the oils to be used in the
diocese for the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, ordination and
anointing of the sick. The chrism Mass also serves as an opportunity
for the priests to renew their commitment to the ministry of the Gospel
through the priesthood. The chrism Mass is celebrated at St. Patrick’s Church in North Platte.
