During Bishop Zipfel’s 14 years in the Bismarck Diocese, he had the privilege of ordaining 26 men to the holy priesthood.
His vocations director during most of this time, Msgr. Tom Richter, said the goal was to average two men ordained each year, which meant the expectation was to have four men accepted into seminary formation each year. A lofty goal, indeed, but one that they knew was critical in order to serve the people of God.
At one point, Bishop Zipfel was asked to sum up his life. He said, “I try to be a priest from head to toe.” His love of the priesthood was evident in all aspects of his life. This love extended to the priests who he guided and mentored.
First priest ordained
The first man he ordained after becoming Bishop of Bismarck in 1997 was Fr. Wayne Sattler, pastor of the Church of Saint Anne in Bismarck. He has fond memories of the new bishop whom he grew to love and respect a great deal.
“Bishop Zipfel was installed as our bishop while I was finishing up my seminary formation over in Rome,” shared Fr. Sattler. “The first time I met Bishop Zipfel was just weeks prior to being ordained a priest. It was also at that time that we could discuss my first assignment. Part of that assignment was to teach religion classes at Bishop Ryan High School in Minot. When I heard that, I related to Bishop Zipfel how teaching in high school was the last thing I wanted to do. He informed me that he wasn’t asking me, he was telling me.”
Father Sattler had little time to adjust to his new assignment teaching in Minot and then at St. Mary’s in Bismarck. In 2000, he became pastor at the parish in Stanley. He eventually went back to Bishop Zipfel with an unusual request.
“Some years later, when I first proposed to Bishop Zipfel the call I had been sensing by God to live out a vocation as a diocesan hermit, he basically told me that was the last thing that would happen in our diocese,” Fr. Sattler explained.
However, Bishop Zipfel was a fair and thoughtful leader who eventually granted Fr. Sattler permission to become a hermit in 2006, devoting most his life to prayer living in a hermitage outside of the city of Stanley.
“Suffice it to say, that I did teach at Bishop Ryan High School, St. Mary’s Central High School, and continue my love for teaching to this day. I also lived as a diocesan hermit for six years, a vocation Bishop Zipfel would eventually express his 150% support for.”
Father Sattler said what this tells us about Bishop Zipfel is that he was a shepherd who prayerfully discerned the will of God. “Bishop Zipfel loved his priesthood, he loved his priests, and it was with love that he discerned with great care how they could best serve the pastoral needs of the people of God entrusted to his spiritual care in the Diocese of Bismarck. He was that ‘good and faithful servant’ who we now pray receives his invitation to ‘share His master’s joy’ (Mt. 25:23).”
Trusting in God’s plan
There’s no question among his priests that he loved them wholeheartedly. Including the last two men who Bishop Zipfel ordained for the diocese before retirement—Fr. Bill Ruelle and Fr. Jason Signalness on June 29, 2011.
Both men remember Bishop Zipfel’s welcoming nature and whole-hearted support during their years of formation.
“A few memories of him are most vivid,” Fr. Ruelle noted. “One is the day back in 2004 that he accepted me as a seminarian. Everything happened so fast and being at the beginning of discerning a vocation I was feeling overwhelmed and unsure. My meeting with the bishop was on the day I moved to Fargo to attend Cardinal Muench Seminary. In that meeting, he not only accepted me as a seminarian, he helped me focus on the most important thing. He encouraged me to simply trust that my life is in God's hands and that He would make sure I knew what He wanted for my life. I carried that encouragement with me through seven years of seminary.
Another time I remember vividly was six years later, in the summer of 2010. I was assigned to St. Leo's in Minot for the summer. One evening, Fr. Vetter and I hosted Bishop Zipfel for dinner. I remember sitting in the living room with Bishop and Fr. Vetter, just chatting, and Bishop Zipfel had a way of making me feel included. To put it simply, I just enjoyed being in his presence.”
Father Ruelle, as all priests, will never forget the day of his ordination. “I felt indescribable joy as Bishop Zipfel laid hands on my head and prayed the prayer of ordination. I can still feel his hands anointing mine with Sacred Chrism. I remember looking into his eyes as he asked me for my promise of obedience, and the expression on his face told me that the cooperation of his priests was something very serious and very important to him. After the ordination Mass, Bishop Zipfel, Fr. Signalness, and I stood in front of the altar to have our picture taken. After the pictures were done, Bishop said to us, ‘now the real work begins.’ Having just finished seven years of seminary, I found that hard to believe, but now in my ninth year of priesthood I know he was right. And, I know that it's the grace of Holy Orders which I received from him that has enabled me to do the work I've been called to do.”
Bishop Zipfel not only ordained good and holy men, his support and encouragement transformed their lives.
“Bishop Zipfel always made me feel accepted, supported, encouraged and loved. His decision to ordain me to the priesthood changed me forever. He literally made me who I am. I am grateful to him beyond words,” said Fr. Ruelle.
Calling everyone to holiness
Approachable and authentic, Bishop Zipfel tirelessly called his priests and the people of God to holiness. He lived his personal mission of being an ambassador of Christ.
“Since Bishop Zipfel’s passing, I’ve heard a few people comment on what a great preacher he was,” said Fr. Jason Signalness. “So, I went back and listened to the recordings of my diaconate and priestly ordinations, to hear his words on those occasions. And, they were right. He was a very good preacher. As he spoke from the ambo, his love for God, the Church and the people was evident and sincere. As he spoke to us men about to be ordained, it was obvious that he was a good and holy priest himself who wanted us to be good and holy priests for the Church, priests who would love the people as Jesus loved them.
Yet, as powerful and dynamic as his preaching was, that wasn’t what stuck with me the most. Rather, it was his kind and (in my case, at the end of his time as our bishop), ‘grandfatherly’ demeanor: how he listened and was pleased to see you, how he had a concern for your wellbeing, how in the unscripted moments he could, with such an evident joy, offer words of encouragement.”
Ask for more
Father Signalness shared Bishop Zifpel’s unforgettable words at the end of his diaconate ordination in 2010.
“During my time as a seminarian, the parishioners of Christ the King in Mandan spent a good deal of time praying for me. As I thanked them at the end of Mass, I jokingly said, ‘I hope you continue to pray for at least one more year,’ as I had one year of seminary left. People laughed. Then, Bishop Zipfel interjected and loudly said, ‘Ask for more!’ So, I did. I asked the people to never stop praying for us seminarians, deacons and priests. His words, ‘Ask for more,’ for some reason, stuck with me. As we pray that Bishop Zipfel will enjoy the Beatific Vision, I also ask for his intercession, this time from his vantage point in eternity. Bishop Zipfel pray for us!”