Jesuit priests who founded Saint Mary Parish have gone, but are still loved by parishioners

Friday, Jun. 26, 2015

OGDEN — Priests of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, came to Utah from the California Province in Los Gatos at the invitation of Bishop Duane G. Hunt as administrators of Saint Henry Parish in Brigham City in 1952, and, although their numbers in Utah have dwindled, a few remain.

The Jesuits are an international order. “Our main charism is missionaries, but in the United States we are known for education,” said Jesuit Father Patrick Reuse, pastor of Saint Henry Parish in Brigham City, where the Jesuits began as administrators in 1952 and have continued to serve. Fr. Reuse also serves at Santa Ana Mission in Tremonton.

However, perhaps the Jesuits’ greatest impact in Utah was in Ogden, where they taught for many years at Saint Joseph Catholic High School and also founded Saint Mary Parish, established out of Santa Maria de Guadalupe Mission, which had been entrusted to the Jesuits by Bishop Duane G. Hunt in 1954. With Jesuit Father Louis Kern as the first pastor, St. Mary was dedicated a parish in 1957; the Jesuits remained there until Fathers Martin Rock and Leo Prengaman were called back to Los Gatos in 2010. 

“I think of Fr. Rock as another Pope Francis or Pope John Paul II; he is such an honorable priest – so gentle,” said Mary Mendez, a St. Mary parishioner who was made an honorary Jesuit for her service as director of religious education for 50 years. “I keep in touch with him. He was wonderful with my sons while they were going to St. Joseph High School; they all grew up to be honorable young men with college degrees and excellent jobs. The Jesuit priests were all spiritual leaders; I loved them all.”

Jesuit Father Neale Herrlich came from Los Gatos in 1956 to assist Fr. Kern; he remained at the parish until 1992. 

Fr. Herrlich and Mendez’s husband and sons fished and hunted together; “they had a close-knit friendship,” she said. “There is a special place in my heart for Fr. Herrlich and Fr. Rock; they both were adored by all the kids in the parish.”

Likewise, St. Mary parishioner Debra Rodrigues has fond memories of the Jesuits. “We made up the ‘Champion of Children’ award for Fr. Herrlich; all the Jesuits were champions of children,” said Rodrigues, who has been a member of the parish for 48 years. She and her husband, Joe, direct the religious education at the parish. 

Debra Rodrigues’ parents were members of Santa Maria de Guadalupe Mission and were married by Fr. Kern. When her mother was young, “she and the other catechism children would pile in Fr. Herrlich’s car to go watch the new St. Mary church being built on Pennsylvania Avenue,” Rodrigues said. 

The Jesuits always emphasized family, Rodrigues said. For example, they would go to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wards to present awards to the Catholic Boy Scouts; the wards offered the only troops in the area, she said. 

Fr. Herrlich visited the CCD classrooms, taught the confirmation class and “all the Jesuits have come to our retreats,” said Rodrigues.

“The Jesuits are dedicated to the parish and to those in need,” said Joe Rodrigues, who joined the Catholic Church when he married Debra 27 years ago. “Fr. Herrlich married us. He had an authority in his voice and everybody listened when he spoke, but he was so gentle. I used to go fishing with him and we always had Mass or would pray before we began the day.”

An appointment wasn’t necessary to talk to the Jesuit priests; “they knew what was going on and they all participated in everything,” said Rodrigues. “They even attended court with the youth in the parish who were in trouble with the law.”

Rodrigues also knew Fr. Rock well and drove him to Los Gatos when he retired, he said as his voice cracked. “I hugged him and I kissed him and I told him thanks.” 

Fr. Rock is known for creating the parish’s children’s Mass. The church didn’t have a cry room and if a parent got up to take a child out, he would make the parent leave and the child stay, said Kim Vigil, who became a Catholic in 2005 after attending RCIA taught by Fr. Rock. 

“I attribute coming into the Catholic faith to Fr. Rock’s influence,” she said. “I loved hearing his stories. My children were altar servers for him and Fr. Reuse; they both had beautiful homilies and were so inspirational.” 

Jesuit Father Leo Prengaman came to St. Mary Parish in 2007, and “was such a loving person,” Vigil said. “He always made sure you had a smile on your face and made everyone feel welcome; he had so much knowledge and lifelong lessons.” 

An era ended when the Jesuit fathers left St. Mary Parish in 2010, said Deacon Steve Neveraski; Fr. Rock served as his spiritual director for the diaconate “and he was a treasure for me as a deacon,” he said. 

Fr. Rock also encouraged Deacon Jack Clark to consider the diaconate, while “Fr. Prengaman brought a youthful enthusiasm from his teaching experience,” said Deacon Clark. “They all had a beautiful Jesuit spirituality.”