El arzobispo Bernard A. Hebda ha anunciado hoy que el reverendo George Welzbacher, sacerdote de la archidiócesis de San Pablo y Minneapolis, ha sido nombrado "Capellán de Su Santidad" por el Papa Francisco, por lo que recibe el título de "Monseñor". Nacido en 1928, monseñor Welzbacher es a la vez el sacerdote vivo más anciano de la archidiócesis y el clérigo con mayor número de años de servicio sacerdotal ordenado, que se remontan a su ordenación el 2 de junio de 1951.
The honor was granted by Pope Francis in December but only recently communicated to Archbishop Hebda, who publicly announced the designation to the priests of the Archdiocese at their Lenten Morning of Recollection. Monsignor Welzbacher is the first priest of the Archdiocese in decades to have received this honor.
Archbishop Hebda noted that it is significant that the Holy Father would choose to recognize our senior-most priest in this year in which the Archdiocese celebrates its 175th anniversary: “I believe that today’s honor not only reflects Monsignor Welzbacher’s extraordinary priestly gifts and service to the Church as an educator and compassionate shepherd of souls, but also the Holy Father’s desire to affirm and encourage in this anniversary year the priests of this Archdiocese, who have so humbly served shoulder-to-shoulder with Monsignor Welzbacher throughout his ministry.”
The only child of George and Eileen Welzbacher, Monsignor Welzbacher grew up in St. Paul. He attended Nazareth Hall and The Saint Paul Seminary prior to being ordained a priest in 1951. He served as a parochial vicar at St. Peter in North St. Paul and at St. John the Baptist in New Brighton before his assignment to teach Latin and German at St. Thomas Academy. When it became apparent that he had a gift for teaching, he was assigned to the College of St. Thomas (now the University of St. Thomas), where he taught history for 29 years.
Upon retiring from the classroom, Monsignor Welzbacher served as pastor at St. Nicholas in Elko New Market, St. Agnes in St. Paul, and St. John on St. Paul’s East Side. He simultaneously served the Archdiocese as a censor librorum, reviewing books and other materials submitted to the Archbishop for his imprimatur. Monsignor Welzbacher, now a resident at the Holy Family Residence of the Little Sisters of the Poor in St. Paul, served generously in his retirement at Holy Family in St. Louis Park and at many other parishes as needed throughout the Archdiocese.
