Msgr. Henry Kriegel is retiring from the Diocese of Erie after 52 years in ministry.

Serving at Saint Patrick parish for the last 12 years, Father Kriegel oversaw growth in attendance by younger families, 58 baptisms in the last year alone, and a $1.4 million restoration of the church in 2012.   "It was fun bringing this grand old lady back to life because the place had really deteriorated," Kriegel said.  "It was down to about 130 families, most of whom were elderly and we were able to restore the church in 2012 it's a magnificent building," he added.

He was ordained in 1970, along with 12 other priests. Msgr. Kriegel said it was the last ordination class of that size.

Father Kriegel said he has loved being a priest, especially the privilege of being there for parishioners' times of greatest joy and sorrow. Even for those intimate moments when loved ones are saying goodbye at the end of life. "And just to listen to some of that conversation that affection that they have for that person is just very touching and I think the priest is the only one aside from the family that can hear that."

In addition to the 12 years at St. Pat's, he served 21 years at Saint Jude parish, and one year at Saint Francis Xavier parish in McKean.

Father Kriegel had unique opportunities in ministry as well, including a season as editor of the Lakeshore Visitor, what was then a weekly newspaper for the diocese.  "It was challenging, but I enjoyed it immensely. You know you had great opportunities to go to Rome for meetings and things like that to meet the various popes," it was just a great opportunity, it was 10 years."

And Msgr. Kriegel was among an ecumenical group of clergy invited to offer prayers at boxer Muhammad Ali's funeral in the summer of 2016. "He wanted somebody form Hindu, Muslim, Catholic, Protestant et cetera and it was interesting to watch the interaction," he said.

Although Saint Patrick parish has grown during his tenure Kriegel is well aware that overall U.S. church attendance continues to decline, especially among younger people.  But he sees the Holy Spirit at work in that, ushering in some sort of needed change.

"I have a strange theory, I think the Holy Spirit is behind all of this.  We need to so dramatically reform the church and change our message because it's not coming across.  We can't figure out how to do it, so I think the spirit is drying up the vocations of the priesthood and drying up people coming to mass and something new is going to be reborn," Msgr. Kriegel said. "I have no idea what it is, and I doubt that I'll be alive to see it, but quite frankly, I'm filled with hope with the whole thing."

Father Kriegel will turn 80-years-old soon, and although the decision to retire wasn't easy, he believes the time is right.  "I've found that in the last year a lot of things that used to energize me, were beginning to drain me and I thought that's going to come through in my attitude to people and I don't want that, so that was pretty much what egged me on," he said.  "And then when I knew Father Mike DiMartinis was going to succeed me, that sort of put the icing on the cake, 'cause he's a great guy."

Bishop Lawrence Persico has already appointed Father DiMartinis to be pastor of Saint Patrick parish.  He also will continue to serve on the faculty at Cathedral Prep School.  DiMartinis has asked Msgr. Kriegel to stay on for a time and continue to celebrate 5:00 p.m. mass at Saint Patrick parish on Saturdays.