Jubilee Celebrations

As surely as summer rolls around every year, we have a new group of Vincentians who are celebrating milestone anniversaries of their ordination (for our priests) or their vows (for our brothers). Like other graduates, many priests and brothers were ordained or took their final vows in the late spring or early summer. Our six jubilarians this year have been involved in varied ministries, but are united in their devotion to St. Vincent de Paul an his call to "follow Jesus Christ evangelizing the poor."

60th Anniversary of Ordination

Father John T. Richardson, CM

Father John Richardson was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1923 and joined the Congregation of the Mission in 1942. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1949 by Archbishop Joseph Ritter at St. Mary’s of the Barrens in Perryville, Missouri. He received a Doctorate degree in Sacred Theology from the Angelicum University in Rome in 1951.

He was a member of the theology faculty and dean of studies at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis from 1951 to 1954. From there, he was assigned to DePaul University in Chicago, where he served first as dean of the Graduate School, then later as executive vice president and dean of faculties, holding both posts for 20 years. As dean, Fr. Richardson helped establish three new schools: the School of Education, the School for New Learning and The Theatre School. He also directed the development of DePaul’s first doctoral programs.

In 1981, Fr. Richardson was appointed president of DePaul University. During his tenure he oversaw the expansion of the Lincoln Park campus, the construction of the university’s first freestanding library, and the improvement of student service facilities.

After retiring as president in 1993, Fr. Richardson was named chancellor. Since 1997, he has been on a leave of absence from the university in order to teach theology at Christ the King Major Seminary in Nyeri, Kenya.

50th Anniversary of Ordination

Father Ronald W. Ramson, CM

Father Ronald Ramson was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1932 and entered the Congregation of the Mission in 1952. He was ordained a priest in 1959 by Bishop Leo C. Byrne at St. Mary’s of the Barrens in Perryville, Missouri. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Spirituality from Regis College in Toronto in 1983.

Fr. Ramson has a history of ministry in both parishes
and seminaries. Beginning with his first parish assignment to St. Vincent de Paul Church in Pampa, Texas, he went on to serve at parishes in Perryville; Chicago; St. Louis; Cotulla, Texas; and Denver. At other times in his career, Fr. Ramson worked for the formation of priests at seminaries in Beau­mont, Texas, Denver, St. Louis, and Nairobi, Kenya. For eight years he served at the national office of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, where he held the position of associate executive director. Currently, Fr. Ramson is senior priest in service at the Lazarist Residence in St. Louis.

50th Anniversary of Vow

Brother F. Joseph Hess, CM

Brother F.Jjoseph Hess was born in Crystal City, Missouri, in 1938. He entered the Congregation of the Mission in 1957 and took vows at St. Mary’s of the Barrens in Perryville, Missouri, in 1959. In preparation for his work in the commu­nity, he pursued studies at DePaul University in Chicago and Marquette University in Milwaukee.

Bro. Hess has spent almost all of his community life serving as treasurer for a variety of community houses and works. In the course of his work, he has helped the Midwest Province develop standard financial practices at the local level.

In his first years of service, Bro. Hess worked in the finance offices at seminaries in Lemont, Cape Girardeau, Denver, and St. Louis. From 1985 to 2002 he served as provincial treasurer, overseeing not only the day-to-day financial operations of the province, but also many construction and expansion projects at our houses and works.

Since retiring in 2002, Bro. Hess has immersed himself in a number of volunteer services that reach out to the sick and poor in Denver, Colorado. In August of 2006 he was recognized by radio station KEZW in Denver as part of their “Volunteer Spotlight.” He was nominated for his volunteer work at Rose Medical Center, Project Angel Heart, Volunteers of America, Meals on Wheels, and RSVP.

25th Anniversary of Ordination

Father Edward R. Udovic, CM

Father Edward Udovic was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1955 and entered the Congregation of the Mission in 1977. He was ordained a priest in 1984 by Bishop Jesse Desado, CM, at DeAndreis Institute of Theology in Lemont, Illinois. He received a Doctorate in Church History from the Catholic University of America in 1993.

Fr. Udovic served as formator and academic dean
at Cardinal Glennon College and at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver, Colorado. In 1995, he was transferred to DePaul University in Chicago, where he presently serves as Vice President for Teaching and Learning Resources, Senior Executive for University Mission, and Secretary of the University.

Fr. Udovic chairs the Advisory Board of the Vincentian Studies Institute, whose mission is “to promote a living interest in the historical, spiritual, and charitable heritage of the Vincentian Family under the patronage of Saint Vincent de Paul.” Fr. Udovic has many published works on St. Vincent and the Vincentian family, including “Jean-Baptiste Etienne and the Vincentian Revival,” a study of the fourteenth Superior General of the Congregation of the Mission. He also serves on a number of committees, commissions, and boards both within and outside of the university.

Father Lawrence P. Christensen, CM

Father Lawrence Christensen was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1935 and entered the Congregation of the Mission in 1954. After many years of service as a brother, he requested and received permission to re-enter the seminary for priesthood studies. He was ordained a priest in 1984 by Bishop Charles Koester at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.

Fr. Christensen worked in provincial administration from 1962 to 1981 at the former provincial office on Cass Avenue in St. Louis. After ordination to the priesthood, he spent four years as associate pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Perryville, Missouri, followed by three years as vocation director at St. Vincent’s Seminary in Lemont, Illinois. Looking for new apostolic possibilities, he undertook a variety of roles at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver until it closed in 1995. Since then, he has provided service as a parish priest in two parishes of the Archdiocese of Denver, and soon he will move on to a third.

Fr. Christensen is closely involved with the Knights of Columbus and Serra International, an organization of Catholic laity whose mission is to foster, affirm, and promote vocations to the ordained priesthood and vowed religious life. An avid traveler, he has led a number of pilgrimages to the Holy Land and other shrines in Europe.

Father Joseph C. Geders, CM

Father Jeseph Geders was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1956 and entered the Congregation of the Mission in 1974. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Terry Steib, SVD, at St. Clement Church in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1984. Fr. Geders earned a Master’s of Management degree from Northwestern University in 1996.

Fr. Geders’ first assignment was to the faculty at St. Louis Preparatory Seminary South. In 1989, he was assigned to serve as regional treasurer for the Vincentian community houses in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago. In 1997, he went to work for the Archdiocese of Chicago, first as director for the Center for Development in Ministry, then as director of the Department of Catechesis and Evangelization. He later returned to St. Louis to become provincial treasurer of the Midwest Province. Since 2006, Fr. Geders has been pastor of Our Lady of the Mountains Church and missions in Jackson, Wyoming.