Spring 2025 Denver Province Snapshots
Ordination, Professions & Jubilarians:
ORDINATION JUBILEE, Thursday, June 19: 65 Years—Alton Carr, C.Ss.R.; 60 Years—John Gouger, C.Ss.R.; Rudolph Papes, C.Ss.R., James Shea, C.Ss.R.; 50 Years—Deacon Dennis Lee, C.Ss.R.
PROFESSION JUBILEE, Thursday, August 14: 70 Years—Alton Carr, C.Ss.R.; 65 Years—John Gouger, C.Ss.R., Rudolph Papes, C.Ss.R. James Shea, C.Ss.R.; 50 Years—Andrew Thompson, C.Ss.R., Gary Ziuraitis, C.Ss.R.; 25 Years—Nghia Cao, C.Ss.R.
ANNIVERSARIES: Beloved Sr. Joan, O.Ss.R. celebrated her 92nd birthday with her community in Korat, Thailand and with our own Fr. Chuong Cao. Happy Birthday from the Denver Province, Sr. Joan!
In Remembrance:
Rev. Victor (Vic) Karls, C.Ss.R.: Victor Herbert was born to Herbert and Clara (Foss) Karls on August 19, 1942 in Madison, WI. He knew that he wanted to be a priest at an early age and entered St. Francis Seminary in nearby Milwaukee after graduating from St. Bernard Grade School. He left after a year, and tried a few careers after he graduated from high school – the grocery business and following in his father’s footsteps in the furnace business, and he even considered pursuing business or medical school. He completed one year at the University of Wisconsin, but ultimately answered his vocation call. He was on the train enroute to St. Joseph’s College in Edgerton, WI in 1962 when he learned that his father had died after a long battle with cancer.
A responsible and serious student, Vic was well-liked by his peers. He proceeded to novitiate at Mount St. Clement’s in DeSoto, MO and professed temporary vows on August 2, 1965. Vic began his theological studies at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Oconomowoc and professed perpetual vows on August 15, 1968. He continued theological studies at Mount St. Alphonsus Seminary in Esopus, NY and was ordained to the priesthood on June 26, 1970 by Bishop Leo J. Brust, D.D. of Milwaukee in the chapel of Holy Redeemer College in Waterford, WI.
Newly ordained Fr. Vic was nominated from his class to serve in the Amazon Region of Brazil. When the Provincial Superior of the former St. Louis Province learned that five confreres were leaving the mission, Fr. Joe Butz was chosen to accompany him. The country was under a military dictatorship, so it took about six months to navigate government and Church protocols before they arrived in Belem, Amazonas. They had no Portuguese language skills, but met with a tutor for an hour every week. Within four months Fr. Vic was sent to Codajás, where he spent a few months before he went on to Manacapuru. He served there for three years, but the isolation and harsh living conditions were so detrimental to his health that he returned to the United States in 1975.
Fr. Vic was assigned briefly as director of Queen of Peace Retreat Center in Fargo, ND before he was appointed Administrator of St. Joseph’s Preparatory College in Edgerton, WI in 1976. Declining enrollment sealed the fate of the institution, which was closed four years later. Fr. Vic was appointed Director of Villa Redeemer Retreat Center in Glenview, IL in 1981. He served as superior of the local community for one term, and continued as Director for a full eight years until he was elected Consultor of the former St. Louis Province leadership team in 1998. After completing his term in office, he was appointed to Liguori Mission House in Liguori, MO.
Fr. Vic remained in Liguori for the next 35 years. He began by working in the circulation department of Liguori Publications, where he started the Liguorian Associates program, hiring people all over the country to solicit magazine subscriptions with personal phone calls. He also brought the magazine renewal effort in-house when preachers weren’t able to visit parishes every year. He was so devoted to the flagship magazine that he preached for Liguorian every weekend for many years.
Fr. Vic was a respected and effective local superior of the Mission House community for more than 20 years. He started the Liguori Mission Team to preach parish missions across the country in 2008. As the years wore on, he continued to raise significant amounts of money preaching for Cross Catholic and Food for the Poor, one of the largest hunger relief organizations in the world. When travel became difficult, he focused on helping out at local parishes and nursing homes, the St. Louis Airport, Mercy Hospital and Missouri’s Bonne Terre maximum security prison. Fr. Vic was very well known in the St. Louis area, and will be remembered for his exceptional homilies and ministry to the People of God.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Fr. Victor (Vic) Karls, C.Ss.R., who suffered a series of strokes and died on April 2, 2025, after a brief time on hospice care at St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community in Barnhart, MO. A prayerful and dedicated Redemptorist missionary, Fr. Vic was a gifted preacher who always made himself available to minister to the People of God.
Fr. Thomas (Tom) Fransiscus, C.Ss.R., J.C.L.: Fr. Tom Fransiscus died at the age of 85 after an unplanned but routine medical procedure on February 13, 2025. Ordained to the priesthood at the end of Vatican II, Fr. Tom fully embraced the tenants of the new era and was a strong human rights activist particularly devoted to the Hispanic community. He had significant impact on the greater Church through his nearly 40 years of service on the tribunals of the Dioceses of Stockton, Monterey and Reno. He was blessed to serve the People of God as a Redemptorist missionary for 65 years.
Thomas Joseph was born to Mathias and Opal Fransiscus on May 6, 1939 in Omaha, NE. He grew up in Holy Name Parish, where his vocation was nurtured by the local Redemptorist community and the Servants of Mary, his teachers at Holy Name Elementary School and Holy Name High School. He credited Fr. Bob Oelerich and Fr. Tony Powers with ensuring that he entered the Redemptorist formation program. An intelligent and athletically gifted student, he enrolled at St. Joseph’s College in Kirkwood, MO in 1957. He was four years older than his classmates and recognized as a mature and confident young man, a serious student who was already expressing interest in migrant ministry. He completed novitiate at Mount St. Clement’s in DeSoto, MO and professed temporary vows on August 2, 1960. He proceeded to Immaculate Conception Seminary in Oconomowoc, where he professed perpetual vows on September 2, 1963 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1965, near the end of the Second Vatican Council that emphasized the Church’s solidarity with humanity and encouraged its leaders to become strong human rights advocates.
Newly ordained Fr. Tom spent his intern pastoral year at St. Alphonsus Church in St. Louis, where he gained experience preaching among the youth and the Spanish-speaking, and helped organize the Black community. He spent the next year as associate pastor of St. Michael Church in Chicago. He earned a master’s degree in theology from Loyola University while fully involved in ministry. In addition to providing catechesis in the Spanish language to the Puerto Rican community, he was a religious presence among youth gangs and engaged in government redevelopment programs.
Fr. Tom was appointed associate pastor of St. Gerard Catholic Church in Kirkwood, MO in 1968. He was responsible for sacramental ministry and teaching religion classes to grade schoolers, but he also preached Spanish language missions, and participated in the L.A.M.P. Program in Matamoros, Tams, Mexico. After a year, Fr. Tom was appointed associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Denver. In addition to pastoral responsibilities, he helped organize the Chicano community and served on the boards of directors of the Westside Coalition and the Westside Recorder, a Chicano community newspaper. Eager for more opportunities in Hispanic ministry, Fr. Tom looked West to the former Oakland Province. He joined Fr. Enrique López at St. Alphonsus Church in Fresno, CA as associate pastor in 1972. He devoted the next seven years to preaching and catechesis in the Mexican American community and was involved in barrio ministry. He also served as a board member of several organizations, including: the Sunset Community Council, the Concilio de Fresno, the Alternative Sentencing Program, the Economic Opportunities Commission, the Advisory Committee on Water Safety for the County of Fresno, and the Development of Parochial Entities: parish council, financial administration committee, Comunidades Eclesiales de Base, and sacramental preparation courses.
After 14 years of ministry, Fr. Tom enrolled at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He earned a bachelor’s degree in canon law and a licentiate degree in canon law by 1981, greatly impacting the scope of his ministry for the next 38 years. He returned to Fresno as pastor and superior of the local community at St. Alphonsus Parish and worked parttime at the tribunal of the Diocese of Stockton. He also served as chaplain of the Fresno Police Department and the Knights of Columbus. After four years, he was appointed a judge on the tribunal of the Diocese of Stockton and administrator of St. Linus Parish in Stockton, CA.
Fr. Tom served as adjutant judicial vicar of the Diocese of Reno’s tribunal from 1986 to 1989, when he joined the Diocese of Monterey’s tribunal as judicial vicar. During his seven years of service there, he simultaneously served as: administrator of St. Angela Merici Parish in Pacific Grove, CA; pastor of St. Jude Parish in Marina, CA; and pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Salinas, CA. He returned to the Diocese of Fresno’s tribunal in 1996 as a judge, and served as pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Planada, CA.
Fr. Tom was called back to the Diocese of Reno in 1997 as judicial vicar and pastor of St. Michael Church in Reno. After 12 years of service, he was appointed adjutant judicial vicar and pastor of St. Ann Parish in Dayton, NV.
Serious health issues in 2019 necessitated his retirement and move to the St. Clement Redemptorist Mission Community in Barnhart, MO. He had recovered sufficiently by 2023 to join the Redemptorist Renewal Center community in Tucson, where he remained engaged in ministry until the time of his unexpected death. Only a few months ago he narrated a video about the Diocese of Tucson, which is available at https://diocesetucson.org/about
—Submitted by Kristine Stremel
Promoting Vocations
Promoting Vocations: Vocation Director Fr. Chuong Cao, Fr. Michael Thien Hoang and our seminarians, Fraters Scott Partin and Antonio Montoya were part of the team promoting Redemptorists vocations on New Year’s Day at SEEK25. SEEK is a 5-day conference that invites students from across the country to encounter Christ and to grow in fellowship with others via daily Mass, Adoration, dynamic Catholic speakers and other events. It is hosted by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. This year over 25,000 young college students attended. The Redemptorists are truly blessed to have participated in this event.
And More!
Celebrating the Lunar New Year: We welcomed the “Year of the Snake” in January with special liturgical celebrations at two Vietnamese parishes in the Denver Province. Special thanks to to Fr. Luong Uong, pastor of Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church in San Antonio, and Fr. Francis Hau Pham, pastor of Church of the Holy Vietnamese Martyrs in Kansas City. The New Year celebrations are associated with transformation, renewal and spiritual growth. Renewal and regeneration are also associated with this Jubilee Year of Hope
San Antonio Young Adult Ministry: Redeemed Circle (RC), the Young Adult Ministry at St. Gerard Catholic Church in San Antonio, was inspired by St. Clement Mary Hofbauer’s ministry with young people in the 1800s. RC’s mission is to foster a sense of belonging and community, enabling young individuals to explore their relationships with Christ, deepen their faith, and become equipped to serve Him in mission. The establishment of this ministry began in the summer of 2024 with three Core Team members leaders dedicated to planning, executing, and evaluating events. Last September we rolled out a series of events, including roundtable discussions, community building social events, and volunteer service opportunities. Currently, we have approximately 10-12 regular members. As we look ahead to the spring semester, we are planning several events, including Eucharistic Adoration and a service project focused on supporting the poor and homeless. RC is on Instagram: @st_gerard_ya
Canadian Bishop Appointed: Congratulations to Fr. Charles Duval, C.Ss.R., of the Province of Canada, who has been appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan by Pope Francis. Fr. Charles served as Provincial Superior of the Province of Canada in 2019-2023, and as Provincial Superior of the former Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Province in 2015-2019. He was serving at St. Joseph Parish in Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada and rector of the local community at the time of his appointment. Fr. Charles entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer on August 18, 1985 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 12, 1993. He began ministry as Parish Vicar of Notre-Dame-of- Perpétual Help in Hamilton, Ontario. Five years later, he was appointed Director of the Redemptorist Mission at Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures in Quebec. In 2000, he was assigned as Pastoral Animator of the South Central District School Board in Toronto. Two years later, he was appointed Vocation Director, a position he held until 2008, when he was assigned at MarieÉtoile- de-la-Mer in the Diocese of Bathurste. He was appointed Vice-Rector of the Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré in 2008, and served in that position until he was elected to Province leadership.
Stain Glass Restoration at St. Alphonsus “Rock”: The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund has awarded St. Alphonsus “Rock” Catholic Church a $500,000 grant from Preserving Black Churches. The grant process was highly competitive: more than 622 funding proposals were reviewed, and $8.5 million has been allocated to invest in restoration projects at 30 historic churches nationwide. The grant award will only cover a portion of the stained glass window restoration project. Donations to the “Rock” Church $1.5 million Capital Campaign may be made by check: Memo: Window Restoration. Mailed to: St. Alphonsus “Rock” Catholic Church; 1118 North Grand Blvd.; St. Louis, MO 63106.
Lenten Mission Preaching: Fr. Pete Schavitz is back on the road preaching parish missions. In March he returned to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Hood River, OR, located at the panoramic crossroads of the Columbia River Gorge and the Cascade Range north of Mount Hood, to present: “Shield Up! Find Strength in God’s Love.” Fr. Pete last preached a mission at the parish in 2019. “It was apparent that the parish mission committee members had done their jobs. The rule of thumb is, the more people involved in the preparation of the mission experience, the better the mission attendance,” Fr. Pete said. “This proved true again this time, with attendance that surpassed the 2019 mission. God was present throughout, doing what God does best!”
Holy Week Mission in Bienvenido: Bienvenido is set in the lush green mountains of the Sierra Norte de Puebla, the center of the Province of Mexico’s Indigenous Mission. A Redemptorist community of three – Fathers Jonathan Muñoz Aguas, Alfonso Torres Almaraz, and Carlos Hernández Talavera – serves 13 communities with weekly masses and other pastoral needs. Some communities are more than two hours away on rocky mountainous roads; it’s impossible to give each community the full attention a parish typically receives. Every Holy Week, the Redemptorists in Bienvenido invite volunteers from all over Mexico to fill this pastoral need. This year, novices at the North American Novitiate helped each of these communities celebrate Holy Week to the fullest. —Cody Hill & Andrew Tran-Chung
Snapshots gives a special thanks to Kristine Stremel and Denver Link.
