John Wilebski ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Crookston

Father John Wilebski III is a 2014 Goodridge High School Graduate, 2019 Graduate from Immaculate Heart of Mary University in Winona, MN, and on May 13th, 2023, John graduated from St. Meinrad Indiana Seminary & School of Theology with a Master’s in Theological Divinity. He is the son of John & Sue Wilebski. 

The Priesthood Ordination of Deacon John Joseph Wilebski was held on Saturday, May 20th, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Crookston, MN. The following article was written by Katrina Genereu on May 22, 2023, and reprinted from Our Northland Diocese.

“What we are doing here today is going to change the world,” said Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens during the Ordination of John Wilebski, May 20 at Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Crookston. “Every time one person says yes to God’s plan, it changes the world.”

Bishop Cozzens spoke about how Jesus reaches people through the sacraments.

“In the Eucharist and all the sacraments we are guaranteed the possibility of encountering our Lord Jesus and having the power of his Paschal mystery reach us,” he said. “In order to be present to us in this way, Jesus Christ gives us the priesthood.”

Father Wilebski shared what he looks forward to the most is celebrating the sacraments with God’s people.

“These sacraments are profound and personal encounters with God. To be a participant and help bring about God’s intimate and profound love is something that will bring me joy each and every day,” Father Wilebski said.

In the homily, Bishop Cozzens spoke about how ordination leaves a mark on the soul of a priest giving him the power of Jesus to be exercised in the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist and confession. He encouraged Father Wilebski to be generous with time spent hearing confessions.

“It is a known fact that the more you offer the sacrament of confession, the more people come,” he said. “It is a powerful encounter with God that you will have the privilege to administer. Lives are changed through this sacrament and no one but a priest can offer it.” 

The part of the Rite of Ordination that stands out most to Father Wilebski is when the bishop anoints the newly ordained priest’s hands with Sacred Chrism, consecrating them to offer sacrifice to God.

“The hands of the priest are consecrated for the service to God’s people. He [the bishop] asks the Lord to guard and preserve the new priest that he ‘may sanctify the Christian people and offer sacrifice to God’. The words and this action summarize the duty of the priest,” Father Wilebski said.

Bishop Cozzens spoke about the sufferings a priest may face as he lives in service to God’s people. 

“Everyone’s life is filled with trials and difficulties, and the life of a priest is filled in a special way with trials and difficulties because he is called to live close to the sufferings of God’s people,” he said. “They will either harden our hearts or they will open our hearts to Jesus. The key to allowing those trials to open our hearts to Jesus is to be a man who brings those trials every day to God in prayer. As I surrender that to him, I receive from Jesus the way to live in the midst of my trials.” 

Leading up to the ordination, Father Wilebski said his heart was full of gratitude.

“My year as a deacon has been filled with so many graces and blessings. This year as a deacon has helped prepare me for the priesthood by rooting my share in Christ’s ministry in service to the people of God,” he said. 

“I am so grateful for the support that I have received along the way. To journey through six years of discernment and seminary formation is not easy — but I have not done it alone,” Father Wilebski added. “The support and prayers of my family, friends and the diocesan faithful have helped bring me to this point.”

Jen Foss is a parishioner at Blessed Sacrament, Greenbush, and has known Father Wilebski since moving there 16 years ago.

“One thing I have always known and noticed about him is he is interested in other people and he has always been curious and open to the faith and where God is leading him. You don’t often see that in young adults or teenagers,” she said.

Foss was impressed by his knowledge of the Catholic faith.

“He has always been interested in learning and sharing it, but also very aware that not everybody knows everything. He has always been a respectful young man and will make a great priest,” she said. “I’m just excited for him and for our diocese. I am thankful that he answered the call.”

Sue Wilebski, Father Wilebski’s mother, said she and her husband, John, were not surprised when their son told them he felt called to discern the priesthood.

“When he was little, probably starting around three or four, he always played church at home,” she said. “He had his altar stuff at home and a little piano that I would try to play and he had the chairs set up and we would use Cheerios or little wafer candies for hosts and grape juice for the wine. He took it seriously.” 

Sue and Father Wilebski’s Grandma Doris sewed vestments for him to wear while acting out Mass. A chalice and other items used for liturgical reenactment in the Wilebski home were displayed in Cathedral’s gathering space before the ordination.

Sue said Sunday Mass was always a priority for their family, and from a young age they impressed upon their children that they were entering Jesus’s house and had to be quiet and pay attention.

“We didn’t push or anything,” John said. “We just took him to church every week and did what you do, but it was something he really liked.”

“He became very involved with the church in Greenbush around age 15,” Sue said. She said it has been a special and humbling experience for their family to watch him grow and discern through seminary to ordination.

John saw a change in his son that stayed throughout his discernment.

“The change in him I noticed was he seemed at peace. In daily life you get stressed by this or that and he really was at peace with his vocation and the seminary and we knew it was the right thing for him,” John said.

“It was a very powerful day, an emotional day,” he said. “We’re proud of him. He is going to serve the diocese, the people of the Crookston diocese, very very well.”

Father Wilebski has been assigned as parochial vicar at Sacred Heart, East Grand Forks; Holy Trinity, Tabor; and St. Francis of Assisi, Fisher.