Honoring jubilarian priests

Six priests serving the Diocese of Bismarck will be honored during the Anniversary Mass of the Ordination to the Holy Priesthood on Friday, May 12 at 2:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit with Bishop Kagan presiding. 

Those honored are: 10 years - Fr. Josh Waltz and Fr. Benedict Fischer, OSB; 25 years - Fr. Gonzalo Rodolfo Blanco Gutiérrez, OSB; 40 years - Fr. Charles Zins; 60 years - Fr. Thomas Dignan and Fr. Damian Dietlein, OSB.

10 Years
 
Fr. Josh Waltz
Diocesan Vocations Director
Fr. Josh Waltz was ordained by Bishop Paul Zipfel at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit on June 28, 2007. After ordination, he was assigned the parochial vicar at Christ the King in Mandan and the mission parishes of St. Martin in Huff and St. Anthony in St. Anthony until 2009. During this time and until 2013, Fr. Waltz was also chaplain and instructor at St. Mary’s Central High School. From 2009-11, he served as parochial vicar for Spirit of Life parish in Mandan and St. Martin and St. Anthony. Fr. Waltz was then assigned as pastor of St. Hildegard in Menoken and Sacred Heart in Wilton from 2011-13. During that time, he was the assistant director of vocations for the diocese. Since 2013, he has served as the diocese’s director of vocations and resides at the University of Mary.
 
Fr. Benedict Fischer, OSB
Assumption Abbey, Richardton
Fr. Benedict came to Assumption Abbey in January 2000, and entered the novitiate in June of that year. He made his profession of monastic vows on July 11, 2001, with Solemn Vows on July 11, 2004. Fr. Benedict began his seminary studies at St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minn., in the fall of 2004 and was ordained to the priesthood on Aug. 22, 2007. At St. John’s he did course requirements for the Master of Arts degree in theology (scripture). He took his comprehensive tests in January 2008. Fr. Benedict then went to the Ecole Biblique in Israel to write his thesis. Completing his thesis defense in 2008, he began to teach at the University of Mary in January 2009. He also spent several summers in Israel studying Hebrew. In 2010, he was named as Chaplain of the University of Mary and continued teaching on a part-time basis. Fr. Benedict continued in this position until the spring of 2015. In the fall of 2015, he went to Belgium to begin work on a doctorate degree in Historical Theology. He continues in this task to the present and will return to the University of Mary when he has earned his degree.
 
25 years
 
Fr. Gonzalo Rodolfo Blanco Gutiérrez, OSB
Monasterio Benedictino de Tibatí
Fr. Gonzalo Godolfo Blanco Gutiérrez, OSB, was born in Bucaramanga, Colombia. He entered the monastic novitiate at Monasterio Benedictino de Tibatí during June 1986 and made his monastic vows on June 29, 1987. Fr. Gonzalo did his seminary theological studies at the University of Santa Buenaventura in Bogotá, Colombia. He was ordained to the diaconate on Nov. 30, 1991, and to the priesthood on Dec. 12, 1992. After his ordination, Fr. Gonzalo taught courses in the primary school and was chaplain for Colegio San Benito de Tibatí, a neighborhood school operated by the monks of Monasterio Benedictino de Tibatí.  In 1998, he became Director of Discipline and Chaplain to the upper grades of Colegio San Carlos, a school from grades 1-12 with over 1,300 students. He continues in these positions to the present. From 2005 to 2008, he had the additional job of being Prior of Monasterio Benedictino de Tibatí. Fr. Gonzalo continues to serve the Lord as monk of Tibatí and its apostolates. Tibatí is not an independent monastery, but is dependent on Assumption Abbey in Richardton. All the monks at Tibatí are members of Assumption Abbey.
 
40 Years
 
Fr. Charles Zins
St. Vincent de Paul, Mott, St. John the Baptist, New Leipzig, St. Henry, Regent
Fr. Charles Zins was ordained at his home parish of St. Gertrude in Raleigh by Bishop Hilary Hacker on June 17, 1977. His first assignment was as assistant at St. Leo the Great in Minot until 1978. From there, he went on to become assistant at St. Mary in New England and the missions of Sts. Peter and Paul in Amidon and Our Lady of Lourdes in Gaylord until 1980. Father Zins then spent from 1980 to 1983 at St. Mary’s in Bismarck as an assistant. His first assignment as pastor came in 1983 for St. Bridget in Parshall and the missions of Sacred Heart in Plaza and St. Elizabeth in Makoti. Then in 1988, he was named pastor of St. Charles in Bowman and the mission of St. Mel in Rhame and Immaculate Heart of Mary in Marmarth and remained there for 10 years. In 1998, Fr. Zins became the pastor of St. Joseph in Beulah and St. Martin in Hazen and remained there until 2005. He is currently the pastor of St. Vincent de Paul in Mott, St. John the Baptist in New Leipzig and St. Henry in Regent. In July, Fr. Zins will become pastor of Holy Trinity, Hettinger, Sacred Heart, Reeder and Sacred Heart, Scranton.
 
60 Years
 
Fr. Thomas Dignan
Retired - Texas
Fr. Thomas Dignan was ordained at his home parish of St. Joseph in Bowbells by Bishop Hilary Hacker on June 1, 1957. His first assignment was as assistant at St. Mary’s in Bismarck until 1961. He then spent a short time as chaplain at St. Joseph Hospital in Minot, before being assigned in that same capacity at St. Joseph Hospital in Dickinson until 1962. Father Dignan then served for a short time as a substitute priest for St. Bridget in Parshall and Sacred Heart in Plaza. Then later in 1962, he was assigned as pastor of St. Luke in Noonan and the missions of St. Michael in Columbus and St. Mary in Lignite until 1970. Then from 1970-73, Fr. Dignan served as pastor of Sacred Heart in Scranton and Sacred Heart in Reeder, St. Mel in Rhame and Immaculate Heart of Mary in Marmarth. During this time in 1971, he also served as chaplain for the Hettinger squadron of the Civil Air Patrol. Then from 1976 to 1989, Fr. Dignan served as pastor of Holy Trinity in Hettinger and the missions of Sacred Heart in Scranton and Sacred Heart in Reeder. His final assignment was to St. Thomas in Tioga and St. Michael in Ray, where he served from 1989 to his retirement in June 2000. He now resides in Stafford, Texas.
 
Fr. Damian Dietlein, OSB
Assumption Abbey, Richardton
 
Reverend Damian (Leo) Dietlein, OSB entered the monastic novitiate and made his monastic vows on July 11, 1952. After making his vows as a monk, he returned to St. John’s and completed college studies in 1954. He then went to Rome, for seminary studies and was ordained to the priesthood July 25, 1957. Fr. Damian returned to Rome to complete a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) in 1959. He then began studies at the Biblicum in Rome and received a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture (SSL) in June 1961. He taught Scripture and Dogmatic Theology in the Abbey seminary from 1961 to 1967, when the seminary there closed. He was appointed Prior and taught at the Junior College. During 1968, he became a Scripture teacher at the St. Meinrad School of Theology, St. Meinrad, Ind. He held this position for 47 years, being the senior faculty member for many years. During the summer, he would return to the Abbey and was noted for making the bales, and for his good mechanical skills. In 2015, Fr. Damian retired and returned to Richardton. At present Fr. Damian is substitute chaplain to CHI St. Alexius, Dickinson, and does pastoral weekend work.