This spring and summer, the Upper Midwestern Catholic Church is welcoming a new group of priests to its ranks. Among them are five Saint Paul Seminary deacons who will be ordained in Minnesota and Iowa.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis now has three new shepherds from The Saint Paul Seminary. Fr. Wil Kratt, Fr. Kyle Etzel and Fr. John Rumpza officially became Catholic priests Saturday, May 27 at the Cathedral of St. Paul.
“We need you to be willing to go wherever you are sent to plant and to grow our Church,” Archbishop Bernard Hebda told Kratt, Etzel and Rumpza in front of a packed cathedral. “Today, Jesus is taking you and making you His instruments, His priestly ministers to grow His Church. Through you, Christ himself will speak. Through you he will absolve sins and reconcile the faithful to the Father. That’s why all these people are here; we’re all so excited to see what God is going to do through you. Through you He will repeat the words he spoke in the upper room to his disciples: ‘This is my body, which will be given for you. This is my blood, which will be poured out for you.'”
“That’s why all these people are here; we’re all so excited to see what God is going to do through you.”
— Archbishop Bernard Hebda, Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
The Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota will also welcome a new priest, Deacon Jacob Toma, June 23 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary. The same day, the Diocese of Des Moines will ordain Deacon Jason Lee at St. Ambrose Cathedral.
Parish Assignments
Fr. Wil Kratt: St. Hubert, Chanhassen, Minnesota
Fr. Kyle Etzel: Church of St. Joseph, West Saint Paul, Minnesota
Fr. John Rumpza: Saint Odilia, Shoreview, Minnesota
Deacon Jason Lee: Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart, Ankeny, Iowa
Deacon Jacob Toma: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Mary Star of the Sea, Duluth, Minnesota
The group is part of over 80 seminarians who have been discerning the priesthood at The Saint Paul Seminary this year. Sixteen more are being ordained transitional deacons this spring and summer; all are slated to become priests in 2024.
This year’s priestly ordination class, with information about each diocese’s ordination ceremony:
Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis | 10 a.m. Saturday, May 27 at the Cathedral of St. Paul
Deacon Wil Kratt
- Hometown: Faribault, Minnesota
- Home parish: Divine Mercy, Faribault, Minnesota
- Parents: David and Barbara Kratt
- Siblings: One brother
- Education: Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Catholic Studies, University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity, The Saint Paul Seminary
Deacon Kyle Etzel
- Hometown: Independence, Minnesota
- Home parish: St. Hubert, Chanhassen, Minnesota
- Parents: Mike and Tracy Etzel
- Siblings: One brother, one sister
- Education: Bachelor of Arts in Catholic Studies, University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity, The Saint Paul Seminary
Deacon John Rumpza
- Hometown: Saint Paul, MinnesotaHome parish: Nativity of Our Lord, Saint Paul, Minnesota
- Parents: Michael and Anne Rumpza
- Siblings: Three brothers, three sisters
- Education: Bachelor of Arts in Business Marketing, Benedictine College; Master of Divinity, The Saint Paul Seminary
Diocese of Duluth, Minnesota | 4 p.m. Friday, June 23 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary
Deacon Jacob Toma
- Hometown: Hibbing, Minnesota
- Home parish: Blessed Sacrament, Hibbing, Minnesota
- Parents: Grant and Deborah Toma
- Siblings: One brother, two sisters
- Education: Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity, The Saint Paul Seminary
Diocese of Des Moines | 5 p.m. Friday, June 23 at St. Ambrose Cathedral
Deacon Jason Lee
Hometown: Waukee, Iowa
- Home parish: St. Boniface, Waukee, Iowa
- Parents: Kenneth and Deanne Lee
- Siblings: One brother, one sister
- Education: Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity, The Saint Paul Seminary
Related
- Chalice stories: Every priest has a vocation as unique as the cup he uses to consecrate the Blood of Christ
- From the rector: Now — and always — is the time for Eucharistic celebration
- Watch: Meet The Saint Paul Seminary priestly ordination class of 2023
- 16 seminarians at Saint Paul Seminary ordained transitional deacons
- Over 20 grad students earn Master’s degrees from The Saint Paul Seminary
- Saint Paul Seminary’s Catechetical Institute celebrates 269 Pillars Program graduates