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Two diocesan priests celebrate 50th and 40th anniversaries

Story and photos by LIZ QUIRIN
Messenger editor

Two diocesan priests celebrated anniversaries this year: Father Joseph Trapp and Father James Voelker.

Father Joseph Trapp, a native of Mt. Carmel, celebrated June 14 with a liturgy at his parish, St. Joseph’s in Benton.
More than 18 priests, including Bishop Stanley Schlarman, attended the liturgy.

People from previous parishes he served, including St. Rose of Lima in Metropolis, St. Joseph’s in Elizabethtown, St. Mary’s in Shawneetown, St. John’s in Dahlgren, St. Clement’s in McLeansboro and others filled the church to a standing-room-only crowd of well wishers and family members.

Father George Mauck preached the homily, describing Father Trapp as his mentor while he was a seminarian. Father Trapp was also a frequent visitor at Father Mauck’s grandmother’s home while he was still in the seminary.

Celebrating the feast of Corpus Christi as well as Father Trapp’s anniversary, Father Mauck said: “It’s all about service; we eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ so that we can become Christ to each other.”
Father Mauck described Father Trapp’s priesthood as a life of “humble service.”

Parish trustee, Vickie Simpson, said: “Father Trapp possesses many qualities that serve as examples of witness to our Lord, but perhaps those that shine most brightly in our minds are those related to his hospitality, his thoughtfulness and his stewardship.”

At the end of the liturgy, Father Trapp thanked those who came and said he agreed to the celebration as long as it was seen as “a celebration of the people. All of us celebrate who we are and what we are: people who believe in Jesus.”

Father Trapp was ordained May 23, 1959 by Bishop Albert R. Zuroweste after attending St. Henry’s Seminary in Belleville and St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana.
He served as an associate in Du Quoin and at the cathedral.
He was appointed pastor in 1967 at St. Patrick’s in Enfield.
From 1969-1975 he served at St. John Nepomu-cene and St. Clement in McLeansboro. During that time he was also appointed administrator at Enfield.

In 1975, he became the first resident pastor at St. Clement’s, which had been a mission of St. John’s.
In 1979, he was also appointed administrator of St. Patrick’s in Enfield.

In 1982 he became pastor at St. Mary’s in Shawneetown and St. Patrick’s in Pond Settlement.
From 1987-2000 he was pastor at St. Rose in Metropolis and during that time was also appointed administrator of St. Joseph’s in Elizabethtown.

In 2000 he became pastor at St. Joseph’s in Benton where he continues to minister today.
During his years of ministry he was a member of the Priest Senate and served as priest moderator of the Belleville Diocesan Council of Catholic Women for a time.

Father James Voelker is celebrating his 40th anniversary of ordination this year.

A parish liturgy June 7 at St. Michael’s in Paderborn gathered the faithful of his present and former parishes, friends and relatives to celebrate Father Voelker’s anniversary.

The combined choirs of St. Michael’s and St. Augustine of Hippo in East St. Louis enhanced the music at the liturgy. At one point during the liturgy, Father Voelker went to the choir loft where he played the organ and directed the choir.
Father Voelker, a native of East St. Louis, attended Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis and St. Louis University School of Divinity.

He was ordained June 7, 1969 by Bishop Zuroweste.

Father Voelker ministered as an associate at Blessed Sacrament in Belleville and St. Joseph’s in East St. Louis. He was a teacher at St. Teresa Academy from 1970-74 and chaplain at the high school in 1972.

He was called to the former Christian Welfare Hospital in East St. Louis often, he said.
“They kept calling me over there” to minister to the patients and their families,” he said.

People at the hospital told him they needed his help, and in 1970 he joined the hospital staff as an orderly.
In 1974 he was appointed administrator at Sacred Heart and St. Adalbert in East St. Louis.

In 1975, he received his bachelor’s degree in nursing and continued to serve as an emergency room nurse at Christian Welfare Hospital until it closed in 1989.

Father Voelker then signed on as a nurse at Touchette Hospital in Centreville.
He served as an associate in 1976-77 at St. Joseph’s and St. Regis, both in East St. Louis and then was administrator and pastor at St. Joseph’s.

In 1993 he was appointed administrator at St. Joseph’s in Lebanon and the next year appointed the parish’s pastor.
In August 1995 he was appointed sacramental minister in Beckemeyer and continued as an emergency room nurse at Touchette Hospital in Centreville.

In 1996 he became pastor of St. Martin of Tours in Washington Park and St. Philip’s in East St. Louis.
In 1999, he added St. Joseph’s in East St. Louis while continuing at St. Philip’s. St. Martin of Tours was eventually closed.

In 2006, he became administrator of St. Michael’s in Paderborn where he will retire this summer.
Father Voelker will remain at St. Michael’s as sacramental minister.