Saint Joseph Education Society appoints new executive director

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
Jan. 10, 2008

After 31 years, Father Paul-Louis Arts is passing on the role of executive director of the Saint Joseph Education Society to Father William Vit.

Father Arts was appointed to the executive director position by Bishop Frank Gretemen in 1976.

"It has been my privilege to be the executive director of the society," said the priest. "I really appreciated the opportunity to deal with the young men for the past 30 years, watch them grow in their vocations and see them ordained. It was a wonderful experience for me as a priest and a person to be a part of that. I know the priests well. I watched them grow from kids in college to young men ordained and as they have continued to mature in their vocations through the years."

His job was to run the society on behalf of the bishop and the board of directors.

"We are there to help priests in their education and in celebration of the priesthood," said Father Arts.

The Saint Joseph Education Society was founded almost 60 years ago by Bishop Joseph M. Mueller for the education of men to the priesthood for the Diocese of Sioux City. Over the years the name and constitution has had several adjustments but the focus has never strayed from its original name.

"In 1983, when Bishop Soens came, the society was reorganized to take care of not only college but the theologians in the major seminary," said Father Arts. "We started out with a little money. Through the generosity of many priests and lay people over the years, the assets of the society have grown to over $4 million."

Bishop R. Walker Nickless appointed Father Vit as the new executive director as of Jan. 1 for a four year, renewable term.

"It is an opportunity to be a co-worker with the bishop and the priests of the diocese," said Father Vit, parochial vicar at St. Mary Church in Storm Lake.

He added that the society helps "to make sure that the priests of the diocese are able to be educated and are able to minister in a good capacity for the people of the diocese. To be a co-worker in that is an honor and an exciting opportunity for me."

As a newly ordained priest, Father Vit was recently on the receiving end of Saint Joseph Society funds.

"They pay for the education of the seminarians as well as provide a stipend for other expenses that are incurred," said Father Vit. "It was a blessing. A lot of other seminarians from various dioceses don't have as much support from the diocese as we do. It opens you up to having one of the stresses of getting through seminary eliminated."

The ability to have seminary paid for allows the seminarians to focus on why they are in the seminary, he pointed out.

Father Arts stated that in education expenses - college, seminary and continuing education - last year the society spent $668,000.

"Nurturing a vocation is a full-time job and if you have to come up with the money all the time it is just one more difficult thing to do," said the priest. "We try not to give the young priests debt."

Not only does the society provide education for the seminarians, it also used for the operation of the Vocations Office, continuing education of the clergy, the Vianney House and the Diaconate Formation Program. The yearly budget is prepared by the director of vocations and voted on by the society members.

The diocese is twice blessed because of the additional gifts of the Msgr. James Duigg Estate and the Wernimont Foundation. These gifts are designated for the education of collegians and theologians respectively and are administered independently from the society.

Father Arts mentioned that the society is thankful for everything they have, but is still in need of support.