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February 25, 202440 Years of Priesthood
Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt
July 14, 1984 – Ordained to the priesthood at St. Ludger in Creighton, Nebraska, by Archbishop Daniel Sheehan
1984 – Associate Pastor of St. Mary’s in West Point with teaching responsibilities at West Point Central Catholic High School
1988 – Associate Pastor of St. Joan of Arc in Omaha
1992 – Pastor of St. Joseph in Omaha
1995 – Pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Omaha
2007 – Returned to Rome as spiritual director at the Pontifical North American College
2012 – Pastor of Christ the King in Omaha
March 19, 2015 – Ordained to the Episcopate by Archbishop George J. Lucas at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Grand Island.
40 Years of Priesthood
Father Joe Hannappel
June 8, 1984 – Ordained to the priesthood at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Grand Island by Bishop Lawrence McNamara
July 1, 1984 – Associate Pastor of St. Patrick, Sidney
July 1, 1988 – Associate Pastor of Holy Spirit, North Platte; Administrator of OLG, Hershey
July 1, 1992 – Pastor of St. Joseph, Chappel and Sacred Heart, Lodgepole
July 1, 1994 – St. Elizabeth, Oshkosh and St. Gall, Lisco assignments added
July 1, 1999 – Pastor of St. Michael, Spalding
July 1, 2003 – St. Theresa, Ericson assignment added
July 1, 2004 – Sacred Heart, Greeley assignment added
July 1, 2009 – Pastor of St. James, Kearney
55 Years of Priesthood
Father Francis Curran
May 28, 1969 – Ordained in Sacred Heart Church in Greeley by Bishop John L. Paschang
June 1969 – Assistant Pastor at St. Patrick’s, North Platte
June 1975 – Associate Pastor of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Grand Island
July 1980 – Pastor of St. Patrick’s, Eddyville; St. John Capistran, Amherst; St. Boniface, Callaway; and St. Mary’s, Oconto
July 1982 – Pastor of Holy Rosary, Alliance
January 1988 – Administrator of St. Leo’s, Grand Island
January 1992 – Pastor of St. Patrick, Sidney
July 1996 – Pastor of St. Joseph, Kimball
July 2002 – Pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Grand Island
July 2008 – Retired from active ministry
55 Years of Priesthood
Father Rodney Pruss
June 5, 1969 – Ordained at St. Patrick’s in Fremont by Bishop John L. Paschang
June 1969 – Associate Pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Grand Island
August 1970 – Assistant Pastor of St. Patrick’s, North Platte
June 1973-1993 – U.S. Air Force chaplain serving in New Mexico, Alaska, Utah, Turkey, California, Germany, South Carolina, Japan and Florida
March 1994 – Pastor of St. Theresa, Mitchell; Sacred Heart, Lyman; and St. Ann, Morrill
July 1994 – Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Ravenna and St. Mary’s, Rockville
July 2002 – St. Mary’s, Pleasanton and St. Gabriel, Hazard assignments added
July 2006 – Retired from active ministry
55 Years of Priesthood
Father James Warner
May 28, 1969 – Ordained at Sacred Heart Church in Greeley by Bishop John L. Paschang
June 1969 – Assistant Pastor of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Grand Island
July 1970 – Assistant Pastor of St. Michael, Spalding
June 1973 – Associate Pastor of St. Patrick, North Platte
September 1977 – Associate Pastor of Holy Rosary, Alliance
June 1979 – Associate Pastor of St. Ann, Lexington
July 1983 – Pastor of Immaculate Conception, Elm Creek and Holy Rosary, Overton
July 1986 – Pastor of St. Michael, Spalding
July 1993 – Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ord
July 2000 – Pastor of St. Mary’s, Mullen; St. Joan of Arc, Brownlee; All Saints, Hyannis; and St. Thomas of Canterbury, Thedford
July 1, 2008 – Retired from active ministry
60 Years of Priesthood
Father James Janovec
May 21, 1964 – Ordained at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Grand Island by Bishop John L. Paschang
August 1964 – Assistant Pastor of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Grand Island
June 1969 – Pastor of All Souls’, Bridgeport and St. Dominic, Broadwater
September 1973 – Pastor of St. Patrick, Eddyville; St. John Capistran, Amherst; St. Mary’s, Oconto; and St. Boniface, Callaway
June 1976 – Pastor of St. Pius X, Ainsworth; Holy Cross, Bassett; and Sacred Heart, Wood Lake
July 1981 – Pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Scottsbluff
July 1989 – Pastor St. Nicholas, Valentine and St. Mary’s, Nenzel
July 1998 – Pastor of Sacred Heart, Sutherland; St. Patrick, Paxton; and Our Lady of Guadalupe, Hershey
July 2003 – Pastor of St. Mary’s, Wood River and Sacred Heart, Shelton
July 1, 2015 – Retired from active ministry
60 Years of Priesthood
Father Tom Ryan
May 21, 1964 – Ordained at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Grand Island by Bishop John L. Paschang
June 1964 – Assistant Pastor of St. Luke, Ogallala
June 1966 – Assistant Pastor of St. Patrick, Chadron
August 1968 – Assistant Pastor of St. Ann’s, Lexington
July 1970 – Superintendent of St. Agnes Academy, Alliance
August 1971 – Superintendent of St. Patrick, Sidney and Assistant Pastor of St. Patrick’s, Sydney
June 1973 – Associate Pastor of St. Patrick’s, Sidney
June 1974 – Associate Pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Grand Island
February 1977 – Pastor of St. Michael’s, Spalding
February 1980 – Administrator of Sacred Heart, Greeley; Visitation, O’Connor; and St. Patrick, Scotia
July 1982 – Pastor of St. Anthony’s, Farwell and St. Joseph, Elba
July 1991 – Pastor of St. Josaphat’s, Loup City
August 1993 – St. Mary’s, Rockville assignment added
July 1996 – Pastor of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Grand Island
July 2005 – Pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ord and Sacred Heart, Burwell
July 1, 2013 – Retired from active ministry
65 Years of Priesthood
Fr. Hugh Spanel
May 19, 1959 – Ordained at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Grand Island by Bishop John L. Paschang
June 1959 – Assistant Pastor of Holy Rosary, Alliance
June 1965 – Pastor of Visitation, O’Connor and St. Joseph’s, Wolbach
June 1966 – Pastor of Sacred Heart, Burwell and St. Theresa’s, Ericson
July 1972 – Pastor of St. Pius X, Ainsworth and Sacred Heart, Wood Lake
June 1973 – Holy Cross, Bassett assignment added
June 1976 – Pastor of St. John’s, Stapleton and St. Agnes, Arnold
July 1981 – Pastor of Immaculate Conception, Elm Creek and Holy Rosary, Overton
July 1983 – Pastor of St. Patrick’s, Chadron
July 1988 – Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Ravenna and St. Mary’s, Rockville
July 1991 – Pastor of St. Bridget’s, Hemingford and Sacred Heart, Mirage Flats
July 1, 2001 – Retired from active ministry
August 2002 – Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Ord, after Father Bob Rooney’s accident, for one year.
65 Years of Priesthood
Father Stephen Deaver
May 19, 1959 – Ordained at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Grand Island by Bishop John L. Paschang
June 1959 – Assistant Pastor of St. Luke’s, Ogallala
June 1964 – Administrator of St. Joseph’s, Chappell and Sacred Heart, Lodgepole
June 1965 – Pastor of St. John’s, Stapleton and St. Agnes, Arnold
August 1968 – Pastor of St. Patrick’s, Chadron
June 1973 – Pastor of Christ the King, Cozad
September 1974 – Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Gothenburg and Sacred Heart, Brady
July 1981 – Pastor of Christ the King, Gering
July 1989 – Pastor of Blessed Sacrament, Grand Island
July 1994 – Pastor of St. Theresa, Mitchell; St. Ann’s, Morrill; and Sacred Heart, Lyman
July 1, 2008 – Retired from active ministry
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.