Winter 2025 Denver Province Snapshots
Ordination, Professions & Jubilarians:
Happy 80th Birthday! Fr. Denis Ryan celebrated his 80th birthday on October 18 with his confreres and two special guests: his Goddaughter, Bethann DeMalleis, and her husband Keith, who traveled to St. Clement’s from their home in Rockaway Beach, NY. Fr. Denis especially enjoys sharing memories of his ministry as a chaplain at Children’s Hospitals. He has been a member of the St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community since 2021.
In Remembrance:
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Fr. Richard (Dick) Schiblin, C.Ss.R., who died at the age of 89 on December 21, 2024 at St. Clement’s. A strong proponent of spiritual renewal and a true champion of social justice, he served as the first Secretary of the General Secretariat of Justice & Peace in Rome. A beloved mentor and friend, he influenced generations of Redemptorist missionaries throughout the world.
Fr. Richard was born to Louis and Marvel (Hogan) Schiblin on July 6, 1935, in Portland, OR. He grew up in Holy Redeemer Parish and attended Holy Redeemer Grade School, where his vocation was nurtured by the local Redemptorist community and the Holy Name Sisters. An intelligent and musically talented student, he entered Redemptorist formation at Holy Redeemer College in Oakland, CA. After completing novitiate at Mount St. Clement’s in DeSoto, MO, he professed temporary vows on August 2, 1956. He proceeded to Immaculate Conception Seminary in Oconomowoc, WI, where he founded and edited a thought-provoking magazine featuring student opinions, and participated in the “Octet” to promote student singing and entertainment. He professed perpetual vows on September 2, 1959, and was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1961.
Newly ordained Fr. Dick completed Tirocinium at Holy Redeemer College in Oakland and was immediately appointed to the faculty. Within two years he was named Dean of Students and Director, but he was eager to continue his education abroad at Institute Catholique in Paris, France. He also spent considerable time at Harvard University sitting in on classes taught by the American social critic, John Kenneth Galbraith, to develop his dissertation: An analysis of the relation between the Church and American Society. He earned a Licentiate in Theology from the esteemed institute in 1971.
Fr. Dick returned to Holy Redeemer Center in Oakland and dedicated the next two years to developing an Adult Education program. He served briefly as Team Ministry Assistant at St. Alphonsus Parish in San Leandro, CA before he was appointed Director of Holy Redeemer
Center in 1974. Intent on fostering spiritual renewal, he dedicated the next 12 years to developing Holy Redeemer Center for retreats and conferences, as well as forming and nurturing Christian Life Communities. He was instrumental in establishing “The House on the Way,” a center of social analysis and theological reflection of justice and peace issues. His social justice ministry also brought him to Latin America, notably Nicaragua, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. His book, The Bible, the Church, and Social Justice, was published in 1983.
Fr. Dick was next appointed to the General Secretariat’s Justice & Peace Commission from 1986 to 1992. He earned a Doctorate in Moral Theology from the Alphonsian Academy during this time. In 1993 he was elected Second Consultor of the Ordinary Provincial Council. Superior General Lasso asked him to teach Moral Theology at the regional seminary in South Africa, so he soon found himself in the “kwzulu,” the heart of Zululand. He thoroughly enjoyed the semester he spent with 150 students in a society still struggling to rid itself of apartheid.
When he returned to the United States in 1994, Fr. Dick was appointed superior of the local community and pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish in Portland. He served the parish until 2000, when he celebrated his 65th birthday with a well-earned six-month sabbatical exploring Hawkstone Hall in England.
Fr. Dick served as a bilingual itinerant preacher based in Oakland from 2001 until 2005, when he was invited to join the theology student community at St. John Neumann House in St. Louis, MO. After two years, he joined the Pre-Novitiate student community at St. Alphonsus Residence in Whitestone, NY. He moved back to the West Coast in 2009, settling into the St. Clement Maria Residence in Berkeley, CA. He served on the West Coast Mission Team from 2011 until 2016. Shortly before his 81st birthday, he moved to the Pagani House community at the Redemptorist Retreat Center in Oconomowoc as a senior member in residence. Health issues necessitated his move to the St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community in 2019. A beloved confrere, he was appreciated for his wit, his sense of humor, and his invaluable contributions to the worldwide Congregation.
Top Story:
Friendship Gathering at St. Michael’s
Thanksgiving Friendship Gathering: The NextGen Friendsgiving gathering at St. Michael’s in Chicago was an amazing, fun, and spirit-led gathering! The food and drinks were worthy of praise, and the conversation was inspired! About 20 members of the NextGen community and six Redemptorist priests, including Fr. Aaron Meszaros and Fr. Larry Sanders and Fr. Kevin Zubel attended. NextGen is a Young Adult community at St. Michael’s Church in Chicago that affirms all, no matter your race, creed, gender or sexual orientation. In Christ, there are no margins. All matter and all belong in love and acceptance.
And More!
Family Day Fun: Redemptorist Fr. Andy Thompson, C.Ss.R., enjoyed the annual Family Day celebration at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish in New Orleans last Sunday. It was a beautiful day for the St. Mary’s community with plenty of great food, games and prizes.
2025 Jubilee Year of Hope: The National Shrine of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos in New Orleans has been designated as a Pilgrimage Site during the 2025 Jubilee: Pilgrims of Hope. Pope Francis writes in the Papal Bull announcing the Jubilee Year: The Jubilee will be a Holy Year marked by the hope that does not fade, our hope in God. May it help us to recover the confident trust that we require, in the Church and in society, in our interpersonal relationships, in international relations, and in our task of promoting the dignity of all persons and respect for God’s gift of creation. May the witness of believers be for our world a leaven of authentic hope, a harbinger of new heavens and a new earth (cf. 2 Pet 3:13), where men and women will dwell in justice and harmony, in joyful expectation of the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises. Let us even now be drawn to this hope! Through our witness, may hope spread to all those who anxiously seek it. May the way we live our lives say to them in so many words: “Hope in the Lord! Hold firm, take heart and hope in the Lord!” (Ps 27:14). May the power of hope fill our days, as we await with confidence the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and glory, now and forever.
Devotion to Blessed Seelos: A relic of Blessed Francis X. Seelos is now available for public veneration at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in St. Francisville, LA. Fr. Brad Doyle, pastor, notes that the relic is set within the front of the altar, clearly visible above a carving of a Pelican that represents the State of Louisiana, the priesthood and the Eucharist. —Submitted by Fr. Aaron Meszaros
Father Chuck Joins Veterans on Honor Flight: Fr. Chuck Beierwaltes joined other veterans for a trip of a lifetime aboard the Greater St. Louis Honor Flight on October 29. In a grand gesture of thanks to those who secured America’s freedom, the nation-wide Honor Flight Network brings veterans to the nation’s capital to visit the memorials that commemorate their service. Fr. Chuck was grateful that the Daughters of the Louisiana Purchase Chapter NSDAR nominated him as “Patriot of the Month” earlier this year, and he considers being chosen for the recent Honor Flight another incredible blessing.
Redemptorist Alumni Visit St. Clement’s: Confreres at St. Clement’s in Barnhart recently welcomed a few Redemptorist alumni who enjoyed sharing memories of the “good old days” at Holy Redeemer College (HRC) in Waterford, WI. The visitors included (left to right): Albert Mendoza (HRC 1975-1978), Patrick McBride (HRC 1975-1981), Richard (Eli) Pichon (HRC 1976-1979), Peter Blewett (HRC 1979-1981), and Douglas Oldmixon (HRC 1976-1981). —Submitted by Br. Paul Yasenak
The St. Louis Partners in Mission Circle gathered at St. Clement’s in Barnhart for a morning of Advent reflection on Saturday, December 14. The retreat morning concluded with the Partners in Mission joining the St. Clement Redemptorist Community for Eucharist. At that Mass, Sharon Van Ronzelen and Cathy Zimmer, having completed their formation and gone through the discernment process, made their commitments as Partners in Mission. Congratulations and welcome Sharon and Cathy!