In 2009, Bishop Zipfel assigned recently-ordained priests to our three Catholic high schools— Fr. Justin Waltz to Minot’s Bishop Ryan, Fr. Josh Waltz to St. Mary's and Fr. Josh Ehli to Dickinson Trinity. This was an unprecedented move in diocesan history.
"For us priests, it was significant," explained Fr. Ehli. "It was made clear that the bishop was committed to Catholic education."
Over the years there have been many priests who have taught in the classrooms or served in administrative roles, but this was the first time that all three high schools had full-time priests dedicated to the spiritual well-being of the school.
“One of the most important marks Bishop Zipfel left on the diocese was his commitment to assign young priests to be full-time chaplains and teach religion in our high schools,” Bishop Kagan said. “His establishment of the connection of vocations and Catholic education turned around our entire work to foster vocations to the priesthood and to religious life for young men and women. It essentially stabilized our Catholic schools for what we have today.”
Increasing priest presence
It was in the 1990s, when Fr. Ehli was a student at St. Mary's Central High School, that the diocese made an effort to increase priestly presence in the classrooms at all three high schools. That initiative was started by Msgr. Gerald Walsh who was serving as diocesan administrator between Bishop Kinney's time and the naming and installation of Bishop Zipfel. By the time he completed seminary formation and was ordained in 2009, Fr. Ehil knew that his assignment as full-time chaplain at a high school would have significant positive effects.
"We knew, at the time, that it was a huge decision. It showed that the diocese was really buying in on Catholic education by taking priests Bishop Zipfel could have used in parishes and making them full-time chaplains.
Rise in vocations
"For as long as most students can recall there has been a priest presence at the high schools, but full-time chaplains meant the students would see us outside the classroom as regular guys. There was no longer a question of who would be taking care of the spiritual needs of the entire institution," Fr. Ehli noted. "It opens up the students' eyes to what a priest does on a daily basis. They see us as ordinary guys who happen to be following their vocation."
Father Ehli is convinced that the presence of full-time chaplains has led to more vocations to the religious life for students. He also sees how it can translate into future generations.
"Even if those students 10 years ago didn't end up as priests or sisters, they may have taken the path to marriage and family, but you can bet they will be more open to their children choosing a religious vocation because of their experience interacting with chaplains in their schools. It has long-term effects and for that, we owe it to Bishop Zipfel for opening up that door."
Bishop Zipfel opened the door and Bishop Kagan has every intention on keeping it that way.
“I have continued Bishop Zipfel’s practice because our children and young people deserve and need to have regular contact with all of our priests and especially our younger priests,” added Bishop Kagan. “It helps them in so many ways such as developing a good and true and lasting friendship with priests, certainly inspiring some to consider that God is giving them a vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life, and it often spills over from school to their families who also develop that good and lasting friendship with priests. As Bishop Zipfel explained to me early in my time as bishop, he looked at it as ‘an insurance policy for the future of the Church.’ I could not have said it better and how correct he was and still is.”