News

Compass article leads to answering the call

By Joanne Flemming
Compass Correspondent

	Fr. Walter Stumpf

Fr. Walter Stumpf credits an article in The Compass for inspiring his interest in Hispanic ministry.

The new priest, who was ordained on June 3 by Bp. David Zubik, was a pre-theology student when he read about Fr. Bill Hoffmann returning to Wisconsin after many years serving in the diocesan mission at Elias Piña in the Dominican Republic. Fr. Stumpf went to visit Fr. Hoffmann, now pastor of St. Therese Parish, Appleton, and told him about his interest in learning Spanish and doing mission work.

That discussion led to two summers in the Dominican Republic in an intensive language program in Santo Domingo, the capital, and at Elias Piña.

Related articles: from June 9, 2006 issue: • Cathedral overflows for ordination of three to priesthood • Later vocation gives longer perspectives     (Fr. David Duffeck) • New priest first wanted the American dream     (Fr. Quinton Mann) • Editorial -- Time to congratulate from May 26, 2006 issue: • Three to be ordained to priesthood June 3 from Dec. 23, 2005 issue: • photo of three after being ordained transitional deacons from Dec. 16, 2005 issue: • Next step toward priesthood (includes     biographies of the three)

Fr. Stumpf also spent his pastoral internship, which comes at the end of a seminarian's second theology year, at St. Therese and was again assigned to the Appleton parish in December. During the six months following his December ordination as a transitional deacon, his mission was to learn about parish ministry. He preached in both English and Spanish and joined the Hispanic community in planning liturgies and programs and in bible studies.

While at Mundelein Seminary, Fr. Stumpf was sent to the United States-Mexican border to get a perspective on the situation there. He spoke with Mexican immigrants staying in a shelter after they crossed the border, and with staff from the Diocese of El Paso, Texas, who worked with them. He also rode with a border patrol agent on surveillance.

On the Mexican side, Fr. Stumpf visited missionaries working along the border and toured factories that have sprung up there.

Fr. Stumpf, 43, said he discovered his vocation in 2000. He was teaching church history to eighth graders at what was then Holy Angels Parish, Darboy (now part of Holy Spirit Parish, Kimberly/Darboy). He and his students not only examined the early church and its saints, but also delved into parish history since Holy Angels was celebrating its 150th anniversary.

The stories about how "devoted the people were to their faith" inspired him. He also saw the late Pope John Paul II as his role model.

During the parish anniversary, he made a novena (nine days of prayer) before the Blessed Sacrament. He reached his decision on the eighth day and contacted Fr. Doug LeCaptain, who was then diocesan vocations director. Fr. LeCaptain sent him to his pastor, Fr. Tom Pomeroy. After a series of interviews, Fr. Stumpf entered Mundelein Seminary.

A native of Darboy, Fr. Stumpf attended Holy Angels School and Kimberly High School before going to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Between high school and college, he spent six months farming in Switzerland as part of a Future Farmers of America exchange program. He may return Switzerland next year and hopes to celebrate a Mass where he worked.

After college, he worked 15 years for vegetable and dairy companies.

In the priesthood, he hopes to continue working in Hispanic ministry. He has been assigned as parochial vicar to St. Bernard and St. Philip the Apostle parishes in Green Bay. St. Philip has a large Hispanic community.