Pastor Assignments Take Effect July 28: Fr. Joseph Minuth

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Fr. Joseph Minuth

Fr. Joseph Minuth

Fr. Joseph Minuth was born in Modesto, Calif. and attended high school and college in Texas. During his last 18 months of college, after reading about the work of Mother Teresa of Kolkata, he became active in campus ministry. Receiving a bachelor’s degree in business administration, he began working in the dotcom industry, but soon the call to priesthood became too strong. He entered the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Mo., and was ordained a priest for the Order of Preachers, Province of St. Albert the Great, on May 14, 2011.

After serving as an associate pastor for three parishes in his province, in 2019 he came to the Diocese of Salt Lake City, where he has family. Technically, he has been granted exclaustration ad experimentum, which means he is on a trial basis in the diocese as he explores leaving the Dominican order. Since his arrival he has been parochial vicar of St. Joseph Parish in Ogden. On July 28 he will begin serving as parochial vicar of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Logan and chaplain of St. Jerome Newman Center at Utah State University.

What would you like your new parishioners to know about you?

First, it is an honor and a joy to be assigned to Logan. About me, I am a Dominican friar discerning a diocesan vocation in Utah. I’ve worked at parishes with university ministries at Purdue, Mizzou and Indiana University. As a priest, I don’t seem to have a lot of free time, but I enjoy reading, sporting events, live entertainment and the arts (with a particular love of opera) – all part of university life. My mom lives in Murray and my brother and nephew live three miles away in Cottonwood Heights.

What are you looking forward to most about your new assignment?

I look forward to continuing work with college students. At the same time, part of my short-term goal is to better understand how normal parishes operate. I love getting to know parishioners on a personal level. As we come out of the pandemic, I look forward to assisting in the rebuilding of old ministries and, possibly, the creation of new ones. I hope to help bring the faith into our daily lives as we strive for personal sanctity, service to our neighbor and an ever deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

As a priest, what has been your greatest challenge?

While I can point to particular cases that challenge me as a priest and a person, my greatest challenge has been relocating often. As mentioned, I value relationships with parishioners. It is difficult to say goodbye so often. Then there are the challenges of acquainting yourself with new coworkers, learning new places, making new friends. This is part of the reason I am exploring diocesan life.

As a priest, what has been your most satisfying experience?

The most satisfying experience as a priest is being a priest. I think the title “Father” is very appropriate. It’s amazing how, as a priest, one can so quickly feel like part of the family. There is a deep sense of fulfillment in sharing both the good and the bad news with people. I’m usually never the expert, but simply meant to be with people through it all. Being a priest seems to me to be the most human of vocations.