50th anniversary: Q&A with Bishop David Kagan

Bishop David Kagan recently celebrated 50 years as a priest marking the anniversary of his ordination on June 14, 1975. 

Bishop Kagan came to the Bismarck Diocese in November 2011 having served several parishes in his home Diocese of Rockford, Illinois. Among his other duties there included chancellor, director of the office of communications, misconduct officer for the diocese, diocesan consultor, moderator of the curia and vicar general. Some might say Bishop Kagan has probably seen and done it all.

He’s been our bishop for the past 13 years and, with his 75^th birthday last November, submitted his resignation to the pope as required by the Code of Canon Law. He continues to serve our diocese until his successor is named.
 
This Q&A session is meant to honor his service and help the faithful transition to a new chapter in the life of the diocese. 

Q: What inspired you to become a priest?
My solid family life, I realize was the foundation for my vocation to the priesthood. My parents were always very respectful of our parish priests and, once I went to grade school in 1955, the good sisters who taught me and the pastor were major influences on me. Once I learned to serve Mass, I know that made my desire to be a priest even stronger. In those days the usual practice was to go to a seminary right after eighth grade. I went to the Salvatorian Seminary in St. Nazianz, Wisconsin for high school seminary, then to St. Pius X Seminary on the campus of Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa for the college seminary where I earned a B.A. in Philosophy, and then my bishop assigned me to study theology in Rome. I lived at the Pontifical North American College in Vatican City State and took my theology classes at the Pontifical Gregorian University run by the Jesuits. In total, I was in the Church's seminary system for 12 years at the end of which I was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois on June 14, 1975.

Q: Can you share a key memory from your ordination day?
One of many memories I have from my ordination day was the imparting of my first priestly blessing to my mom and dad at the end of the Ordination Mass. If I live to be a hundred, I will always remember their humble acceptance of my blessing. 

Q: How did your vocation unfold throughout the early years of the priesthood?
My first assignment as a priest was to a wonderful parish, St. Patrick Parish, Dixon, Illinois. I was to report to the parish 10 days after ordination, which I did and my first pastor, Father James Malloy, was a wonderful priest from whom I learned a great deal, especially about visiting the sick. That year was his 25th anniversary of priestly ordination, and I thought to myself that is great but he's really old! Little did I realize then! A week after I arrived at the St. Patrick’s, Father Malloy went on a three-week vacation with his other classmates to celebrate their anniversary. My vocation to be a parish priest developed very quickly since I was in charge of the parish. It was good as I learned quickly about how to manage a parish, how to meet and counsel different people, and it was a good opportunity for me to get around the entire parish to meet many of our parishioners. An added benefit for me was that St. Patrick’s had a parish grade school, and it was my responsibility to be at the school a few days each week to teach religion to the various grades first through eighth. At that time, the bishop also assigned me to teach religion at the Central Catholic High School which was about 20 miles away which I did three days each week. This too had a formative impact on my priesthood which has lasted to this day. I love and value Catholic schools and I see them as essential to life the of a parish and the diocese.

Q: What aspects of serving the people of God have brought you the most joy?
The greatest joy I have had and continue to have as a priest and bishop is the celebration of the sacraments and preparing children, youth and young adults for the reception of the sacraments. It is all part of the teaching office of being a priest and a bishop. To help them understand and enjoy their faith and being Catholic is all that matters. 
 
Q: How has your ministry changed over the past 50 years?
I think my ministry hasn't really changed over the last 50 years, but it has been deepened by the fact of my episcopal consecration. Possessing the fullness of the three-fold office of teaching, sanctifying and governing, it is now my privilege and responsibility before God and His Church, to assist our good priests to be the best teachers, sanctifiers and shepherds to our faithful that they can be and to do all I can to strengthen them in their priestly vocations.

Q: Can you share a moment or experience where you felt particularly grateful to God to be a priest?
There have been so many moments as a priest when I have been truly grateful to God for my priesthood that it's hard to pick just one. However, I do remember vividly one moment from my first assignment which was a tragedy and, being a priest brought tremendous comfort and consolation. It was the tragic death of a little boy of about two or three who had been run over by a car in front of his house. When I was called to the hospital, I met his young parents, and I could not think of anything to say to them. I sat with them in silence and then I know the Lord inspired me to pray the “Angel of God” prayer out loud. We then went to the emergency room where their son was lying dead and I prayed the prayers for the dead and blessed his body. My pastor allowed me to offer the funeral Mass for him. In all my years as a priest and bishop, that was the hardest thing I had to do, to bury a child. This taught me to never take my priesthood for granted and I hope I have not done that.

Q: How have you maintained your personal spiritual life amidst the demands of priesthood?
The first and most important component of priestly formation is the fostering and deepening of the spiritual life. This is a life-long responsibility because the priest is the one chosen by God to lead others to heaven. He simply cannot do that if he himself is not spiritually preparing himself to go to heaven. There are many beautiful elements to the Church's great treasury of spiritual devotions, exercises and prayers, but the principal ways I have used is daily Mass, praying the Liturgy of the Hours, a Holy Hour, visits to the Blessed Sacrament and regular confession. Also, one of the great helps to me is reading the lives of the saints. This is good spiritual reading for meditation and it's an excellent way to learn more of the true history of the Church. All that being said, I have had to make time for this each day, which can be difficult but never impossible. 

Q: How has your relationship with God deepened throughout your years of service?
I have always thought that if a priest does not discipline himself to foster his own spiritual life, he will never be happy being a priest. This is the way my personal relationship with the Lord has deepened over these years and I look forward to doing even more as time goes on. 
 
Q: What does your priesthood mean to you, looking back at 50 years?
Looking back over these 50 years, my priesthood is everything to me and for me. It is my life, and I am so grateful to God for this merciful gift. Being a priest for any amount of time and you can ask any priest, is a life filled with blessings, but it is also very humbling. You realize quickly how good God is to you and how unworthy you are of Him.

Q: What message do you have for those considering a vocation to the priesthood?
I would tell any young man who is considering the priesthood to not be timid and do not be afraid. He owes it to God to ask Him what He wants of him, and he will always receive God's answer. The life of a priest is a living gift with all the graces needed to be a good and faithful servant of the Lord and His Church. God does not call everyone to the priesthood, but He does want us to ask Him what He wants for each of us and for His Church. 

Q: What are you most grateful for in your 50 years of service to God’s people?
I think what I am most grateful for in my years as a priest and now a bishop is the other bishops, priests, deacons and sisters who have been so much a part of my life. Living and dead, they have been the signs to me of God's love and His holy will.

Q: What is/was your most notable memory or accomplishment during your time as bishop?
Since becoming the bishop of Bismarck, I can say in all truthfulness that I have two notable memories. The first is the ordaining of so many of our priests who serve us all with the zeal for souls that Jesus has for us. The second is the large numbers of our young people whom I have confirmed. 

Q: What were the biggest challenges you faced as bishop?
The greatest challenge I had and still have as bishop is to provide priests to our good Catholic people so that they will not be without the graces of the sacraments and without the right teaching of our precious Catholic faith. A bishop can never have enough good priests! 

Q: What advice do you have for the next bishop?
My advice to the next bishop is this: pray for and be good to our priests and help them in every way to do the same for our good and holy people.

Q: What are your hopes for the future of the diocese?
My hopes for the future of our diocese are that the faith of our families and all our people continue to grow and that they be the intentional disciples of the Lord in their vocations. That builds up the Church and the good example given to others is priceless.

Q: What are the most important issues facing the diocese today?
There are many important issues facing our diocese today, but I would say the one that every priest, deacon, religious and lay person must address is the creeping dangers of secularism in our culture. At its root, secularism seeks to eliminate God from daily life. That is not the Catholic faith and life and we all must work to combat it. 

Q: How can the faithful support the next bishop? 
When our Holy Father appoints our next bishop, all the faithful must support him with our prayers and our cooperation with what he needs to do to advance the faith and preach the Gospel.

Q: What are you most looking forward to in retirement?
What I look forward to most in retirement is having even more time to pray and I have several books which I will now have the time to read. Also, Bishop Zipfel was so good about being available to me when I had questions to ask or his advice to seek and I would want to do the same for our next bishop.