Obituary for Fr. Francis Welsmiller

Father Francis F. Welsmiller, 91, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw and founding director of the Casa San José de los Huerfanos orphanage in Colima, Mexico, died Thursday, June 5, 2008 at home in Bradenton, Fla.

Father Welsmiller was born on March 5, 1917 in Saginaw, son of Frances (Lengst) and Frederick Welsmiller. He was baptized at Sacred Heart Parish in Saginaw and attended Sacred Heart and St. Mary Cathedral schools in Saginaw.

He studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph Seminary in Grand Rapids, St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore, Md., and Our Lady of Angels Seminary (Niagara University) in New York. He was ordained on June 3, 1944 by Bishop William F. Murphy at St. Mary Cathedral.

Within the Diocese of Saginaw, Father Welsmiller served as chaplain of St. Mary’s Hospital in Saginaw and as assistant pastor at SS. Peter & Paul Parish in Saginaw, St. Bernard Parish in Alpena and SS. Peter & Paul Parish in Ruth.

In 1951, he left Michigan to take residence in a warmer and dryer climate due to health reasons and ministered in California and Florida.

In 1973, he founded the Casa San José home for orphans and homeless, abused, and disadvantaged children ages 2 to 17. He served as the home’s director for more than 25 years.

Father Welsmiller’s funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 12, 2008 at St. Bernard Parish in Holmes Beach, Fla. He will be buried near his parents at the Skyway Memorial Gardens in Palmetto, Fla.

Memorial donations may be made to the St. Joseph Family Foundation, 2412 Clark Ave., Bradenton, FL 34207, to benefit Casa San José.

(In the photo: Father Welsmiller is seen with a group of children at the Casa San José de los Huerfanos orphanage in Colima, Mexico, in 1994.)

June 2008 newsletter is now online

The Catholic Diocese of Saginaw Monthly Newsletter for June2008 is now available online.. Click here to sign up to have the newsletter sent each month to your e-mail.

Sports Illustrated names Nouvel as top program in state

SAGINAW - Sports Illustrated magazine this week named Nouvel Catholic Central High School's athletic program as No. 1 in the state of Michigan.

= Check of the listing of the top school in each state, according to SI.

= Read about the honor in The Saginaw News.

Bishop urges prayer for China earthquake victims

SAGINAW – Bishop Robert J. Carlson today urged all people of faith to continue to pray for the victims of the devastating earthquake in China.

“May God comfort those who have lost loved ones, and in a special way, the grieving parents who have lost their children,” he said. “We also pray for the emergency aid workers. May they be strengthened and comforted by the Lord’s grace as they continue the difficult work that is still ahead of them.”

At this time, the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw is unable to accept any monetary donations for relief efforts in China. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has offered its assistance to the Chinese government. However, Chinese officials have declined emergency relief from CRS and several other organizations.

CRS is the official international relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

International press organizations report more than 40,000 people have died as a result last week’s 7.9-magnitude earthquake that rocked China. More than 245,000 have been reported injured and hundreds of communities were destroyed.

Charity Ball earns $300K for Catholic education

SAGINAW – Bishop Robert J. Carlson announced Tuesday that the 2008 Bishop’s Charity Ball raised more than $300,000 for Catholic schools and parish religious education programs.

“Final figures are still being calculated as the last bills roll in, but we have every reason to believe that this year’s event was very successful,” the bishop said during a special “Winner’s Circle” reception Tuesday evening at the Center for Ministry in Saginaw.

During the winner’s event, raffle ticket proceeds and prizes were awarded, including the grand prize $10,000 to All Saints Central High School in Bay City; the second prize trip for two to Rome to Randy and Cathy Schafer of Mt. Pleasant; and the third prize $5,000 home improvement project to Jim Schlicker of Saginaw.

All Saints Principal J.B. Watters said the winnings will be used as down payment for needed repairs and upgrades to the school’s boiler heating system.

Eighty-seven parishes and schools received checks totaling nearly $208,500 from their portions of the raffle ticket sales. Remaining event proceeds will be invested into school endowment funds of the Catholic Community Foundation of Mid-Michigan to support the future of Catholic schools in the diocese.

The Bishop’s Charity Ball, which took place April 25, is a fundraising event designed to celebrate Catholic education and benefit Catholic schools and parish religious education programs.

The inaugural Bishop’s Charity Ball raised more than $500,000 in 2007. Those proceeds included a $250,000 anonymous matching gift.

The 2009 Bishop’s Charity Ball will take place April 24 at the Horizons Conference Center in Saginaw. Its premier fundraising feature will be a new endowment fund created to benefit Catholic school teachers’ salaries.

The Catholic Diocese of Saginaw includes 106 parishes and 26 schools.

19 new pastoral assignments announced

SAGINAW – Bishop Robert J. Carlson has announced the following changes in pastoral assignments for the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, each effective July 1:

Father Craig Albrecht from pastor for Sacred Heart Parish, Merrill; sacramental minister to St. Mary Parish, Hemlock, and St. Patrick Parish, Ryan; and chaplain for Nouvel Catholic Central High School, Saginaw, to pastor for St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Bay City.

Father Andrew Booms from associate pastor for St. James Parish, Bay City, to pastor for St. Michael Parish, Port Austin.

Father Robert Byrne from pastor for Sacred Heart Parish, Mt. Pleasant, to pastor for Blessed Trinity Parish, Frankenmuth.

Father James Carlson from pastor for Sacred Heart Parish, Bad Axe; St. Joseph Parish, Rapson; and Most Holy Trinity Parish, Smith Corners, to pastor for St. John Vianney Parish, Saginaw.

Father Nicholas Coffaro, ordained May 16, to associate pastor for St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Saginaw.

Father Christopher Coman, ordained May 16, to associate pastor for Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Bay City.

Father Jerzy Dobosz from administrator for St. Mary Parish, Parisville, and St. Anthony Parish, Helena, to administrator for St. Anne Parish, Linwood; Sacred Heart Parish, Kawkawlin; and St. Valentine Parish, Beaver.

Father Steven Gavit from pastor for St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Bay City, to pastor for St. Mary Parish, Hemlock and continue as chaplain for the Saginaw Valley State University Newman Apostolate (Catholic Campus Ministry).

Father T.J. Fleming from pastor for St. Brigid of Kildare Parish, Midland, to pastor for St. Michael Parish, Maple Grove.

Father Paul Grala SOLT from temporary administrator for St. Michael Parish, Port Austin, to chaplain for St. Francis Home, Shields.

Father Denis Heames, ordained May 16, to associate pastor for Sacred Heart Parish, Mt. Pleasant.

Father Loren Kalinowski from pastor for St. John Vianney Parish, Saginaw, to pastor for Sacred Heart Parish, Mt. Pleasant.

Father Frederick Kawka from pastor for Blessed Trinity Parish, Frankenmuth, to senior priest status (retired).

Father Randy Kelly from pastor for St. Michael Parish, Maple Grove, to pastor for St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Saginaw.

Father Thomas Kowalczyk from pastor for St. Anne Parish, Linwood, to senior priest status (retired).

Father Paul O’Donnell MCCJ to spiritual director for St. John Vianney Formation House, Saginaw, in addition to his assignment as chaplain for the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma.

Deacon Roger Pasionek from staff at Holy Family Parish, Saginaw to pastoral administrator for Holy Family Parish, Saginaw.

Father Daniel Roa, ordained May 16, to chaplain for St. Mary’s of Michigan hospital in Saginaw, and in-residence at St. Mary Cathedral, Saginaw.

Father Ronald Wagner from pastor for Holy Family Parish, Saginaw, to pastor of St. Andrew Parish, Saginaw and sacramental minister to Holy Family Parish, Saginaw.

The Catholic Diocese of Saginaw includes 106 parishes and 26 schools located across 11 mid-Michigan counties.

Bishop will ordain 4 priests on Friday

SAGINAW – Bishop Robert J. Carlson will ordain four priests for the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw during a special Mass at 1 p.m. on Friday at Holy Spirit Parish in Shields.

The men to be ordained to the priesthood include:

- Deacon Nicholas F. Coffaro, 27, of Garfield Heights, Ohio. His preparation for the priesthood has included studies at SS. Cyril & Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, the Catholic University of Lublin in Poland, and Borromeo College Seminary in Cleveland. As a transitional deacon, Coffaro has served the faith community of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in Bay City.

- Deacon Christopher M. Coman, 34, of Saginaw. His preparation for the priesthood has included studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. He also holds degrees from Northwood University in Midland and the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. Before discerning the path to priesthood, Comen was employed for about five year in the secular business world as a salesman and operations manager for an automotive company, working both in the Detroit Area and Portland, Ore. As a transitional deacon, he has served the faith community of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Beal City.

- Deacon Denis M. Heames, 35, of Chula Vista, Calif. His preparation for the priesthood has included studies at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver, Colo., and Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. Before discerning the path to priesthood, Heames found success as a Hollywood actor. As a transitional deacon, he has served the faith community of St. Mary University Parish in Mount Pleasant.

- Deacon Daniel E. Roa, 28, of Caracas, Venezuela. His preparation for the priesthood has included studies at St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill., and Conception Seminary College in Conception, Mo. Roa began his studies for the priesthood as a teenager and immigrated to the United States in 1999 at the encouragement of his pastor. As a transitional deacon, he has served the faith community of the St. Mary Cathedral in Saginaw.

This is the first time since 1982 that at least four priest have been ordained for the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw. Four men were ordained that year by Bishop Kenneth E. Untener, however, those ordinations did not take place on the same day. June 7, 1969 was the last day in which at least four priests were ordained for Saginaw on the same day by Bishop Francis F. Reh at St. Mary Cathedral in Saginaw.

With the addition of these four new priests, the Diocese of Saginaw currently has a total of 62 active priests in its ranks. Many of the diocese’s 36 senior (retired) priests, and 17 priests from other dioceses or religious orders also serve to celebrate the sacraments for the people of 106 parishes across the 11-county region of the Roman Catholic Church.

Bishop Carlson also is set to ordain two transitional deacons during a 10 a.m. Mass on Saturday at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Midland.

Transitional deacons include seminarians in their final stages of priestly formation. They will most likely be ordained to the priesthood in the next year.

Those men to be ordained to the transitional diaconate include:

- Prentice A. Tipton, 54, of Detroit. He is enrolled at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. He holds a bachelor’s degree for education from the University of Michigan and is a convert to the Catholic faith tradition.

- José G. Parra, 31, of Colombia. He is enrolled at Saginaw Valley State University and comes to the Diocese of Saginaw following priestly formation with the Messengers of Peace religious institute at the Pacem in Terris Mission, established by Bishop Carlson in Villa de Leyva, Colombia, in 2005.

The Diocese of Saginaw was established in 1938 and includes an estimated 132,000 faithful worshiping in 106 parishes across Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Huron, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, Sanilac and Tuscola counties.