65 Years of Priesthood: Father Hugh J. Spanel

It is often said that change is inevitable. If so, Father Hubert Spanel’s years of ministry are a testament to the truth of that statement. 

Father Hugh, along with his classmate Father Steve Deaver, will be honored this year at the chrism Mass as they celebrate 65 years of ordination to the priestly ministry. 

Father Hugh was born on the family farm near Victoria Springs, east of Anselmo, on March 25, 1931. “In those days, the doctor came out to your house to deliver babies,” Father Hugh said. “There was a lot of melting snow and our lane was pretty muddy. That was making it difficult for the doctor to get to the house.” 

Father Hugh said his early years were filled with chores and helping the family on the farm. “Each day we had to walk over the hills through some dangerous rattlesnake country to get to school, so we had to be alert all the time,” he said. 

His early faith and vocation were nurtured at home with his family and at St. Anselm’s Church, the “Cathedral of the Sandhills,” in Anselmo, his family’s parish. “It was in third or fourth grade that I began to think about becoming a priest,” he said. “I started serving as an altar server and I remember Father (Francis) Keller would come out to our farm for a meal every once-and- a while.   

Father Hugh likes to credit his brother Jerry, who was 23 years younger than him, for his vocation. “I remember talking to my dad about my desire to study to be a priest and him telling me that my help was really needed on the farm. When Jerry was born, I figured all was good,” he said with a laugh. 

Father Spanel studied for the priesthood at Conception Seminary at Conception, Missouri. He said that life in the seminary at that time was very regimented, but things were beginning to change. “We had as much food as we wanted to eat, but meals lasted 30 minutes," he said. “In class, things were beginning to change. Some of our classes were still taught in Latin, but others were in English. They were starting to go away from the old manuals and most of our textbooks were our professors’ lectures bound into books.”  

He remembers the seminary administration not being very happy when they discovered Father Hugh had his own car, which was against the rules at the time, that he hid at a farm several miles away from the seminary. 

Although he was ordained in 1959, before the Second Vatican Council, Father Hugh embraced the changes the council brought about. When he was ordained a priest, the Mass was still celebrated in Latin. 

“It was confusing at first,” he said. “When I went into church, I wondered if it was the same Church. It was a whole new ball game. The altar and altar furniture were in different places. The Mass was now in English. There were English songs, but still some songs in Latin. I loved the changes, although it was hard to get used to. Some people never did.” 

Father Hugh and several other priests (Father Jim Murphy and Father Deaver) were instrumental in starting the youth program later called Outward Bound (now called Higher Ground) in the Grand Island Diocese. 

“Back in the early 1960s, there was a group of us that saw a tremendous need for youth ministry in our diocese. The first few years, it was held in O’Connor. We would have Mass outdoors on the hills,” he said. “It was a new experience for everyone.”   

More change occurred in 1972 when Bishop John Sullivan became bishop of the Grand Island Diocese. 

“Bishop Sullivan brought in a new theology,” Father Hugh said. “He was a great innovator, although only about half the priests thought he was right.” 

In the early 1980s, Father Spanel was asked by Bishop Lawrence McNamara to be the chairman of the Diocesan Synod. Of the synod, Father Hugh said, “Everyone meant well.  We discovered we were a growing diocese and a great diocese. We were reminded that the Church moves on.” 

When asked which was his favorite parish assignment, Father Hugh quickly answered, “O’Connor. I think everyone remembers their first parish.” 

After retirement, Father Hugh moved back to Broken Bow to live with and help care for his aging parents. For a number of years, he frequently helped with weekend assignments and sabbatical coverage for other priests.   

“Father Hugh loved to read and stay on the cutting edge of theology,” said Father Jim Hunt. “He would come up to me and say here is a book or an article I needed to read. He was always current on theology and what was going on in our diocese and the Universal Church.” 

Father Hugh now resides at Brookstone View Nursing Home in Broken Bow, where he continues to lead the Rosary weekly for the Catholic residents. 

Reflecting on 65 years of priesthood, Father Hugh says the greatest blessing is the people: “I still get a card or a letter every once and a while from a former parishioner thanking me. Something struck home with them.” 

Father Hugh said his favorite Gospel passage was the last Gospel that used to be proclaimed at Mass from the Gospel of St. John, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The people would then respond, in Latin, “Deo Gratias,” (“Thanks be to God”).

“We keep going to Mass to glorify God,” said Father Hugh.