Meet the 18 New Priests From The Saint Paul Seminary’s 2022 Ordination Class

The seminary’s Class of 2022 includes eight different dioceses from around the Upper Midwest. Here’s a bit more about each new priest. (Priests listed are pictured left to right.)

Hometown: Coon Rapids, Minnesota
Home parish: Church of St. Paul
Parents: Jim and Elizabeth Selenski
Siblings: Three brothers
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business entrepreneurship, minors in philosophy and Catholic studies from University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary
School of Divinity

Hometown: Hastings, Minnesota
Home parish: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Parents: Joseph and Margaret Utecht
Siblings: Three sisters, one brother
Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and Catholic studies from University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Lakeville, Minnesota
Home parish: All Saints
Parents: Karl Zgoda and Sharon McGinnis
Siblings: One brother
Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and Catholic studies from University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in theology from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Savage, Minnesota
Home parish: St. Joseph Hien
Parents: Huế and Lang Nguyen
Siblings: Two sisters, one brother
Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and Catholic studies, minor in Renaissance from University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Home parish: Holy Spirit
Parents: Alan Haiar and Donna Groon
Siblings: Two stepbrothers, one sister
Education: Bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of South Dakota; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Aberdeen, South Dakota
Home parish: Sacred Heart
Parents: BJ and Brandei Schaefbauer
Siblings: Three brothers
Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy, minor in Catholic studies from University of St. Thomas; bachelor’s degree in sacred theology from the Angelicum (Rome)

Hometown: Bettendorf, Iowa
Home parish: The Cathedral of St. Joseph
Parents: Patrick and Melinda McLaughlin
Siblings: Two brothers
Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and Catholic studies from University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Richland, Iowa
Home parish: St. James
Parents: James and Michelle Snyder
Siblings: Three sisters, one brother
Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Conception Seminary College; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Knoxville, Iowa
Home parish: St. Anthony
Parents: Dale and Lori Mallory
Siblings: One brother
Education: Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from the University of Iowa; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Wyndmere, North Dakota
Home parish: St. John the Baptist
Parents: Dennis and Dennise Foertsch
Siblings: Two brothers, two sisters
Education: Bachelor of Science in computer science from North Dakota State University; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Hatton, North Dakota
Home parish: Our Lady of Peace
Parents: Mike and Peggy Littlefield
Siblings: Two brothers, one sister
Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Sacred Heart Major Seminary; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Minneota, Minnesota
Home parish: St. Edward
Parents: Bruce and Juanita Bot
Siblings: Two brothers, two sisters
Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and Catholic studies from the University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Dassel, Minnesota
Home parish: St. John the Baptist
Parents: Deacon John and Ruth Ann Hansen
Siblings: Two brothers
Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and Catholic studies from the University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Minneota, Minnesota
Home parish: St. Edward
Parents: Scott and Deb Thooft
Siblings: Two sisters, one brother
Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and Catholic studies from the University of St. Thomas; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Batavia, Illinois
Home parish: Holy Cross
Parents: Mike and Lori Pacer
Siblings: Two brothers
Education: Bachelor of Arts in literature, Ave Maria University; Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in theology from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Osceola, Iowa
Home parish: St. Bernard
Siblings: Three brothers, one sister
Education: Philosophy, Catholic University Lumen Gentium (Mexico City); Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa
Home parish: St. Augustine
Parents: Patrick and Sue Smith
Siblings: Four sisters, two brothers
Education: Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and Catholic studies from University of St. Thomas;
Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in theology from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Hometown: Brainerd, Minnesota
Home parish: St. Christopher
Parents: Dan and Sue Padrnos
Siblings: Three brothers, one sister
Education: Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from St. John’s University; Master of Divinity from The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity

Editor's note: A version of this story originally ran on The Seminaries of Saint Paul website.