Open House Will Honor Priest's 50th Anniversary
The parish family of Historic St. Boniface Catholic Church in Fulda, Ind., and St. Meinrad Catholic Church in St. Meinrad will host an open house to honor Benedictine Father John McMullen, a native of Vincennes, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his priestly ordination.
The open house will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. CT on Dec. 4 in the St. Boniface Parish Center.
Father McMullen serves the parishes as an associate priest for sacramental assistance and pastoral care for the homebound, sick and infirm. He also serves as prior (second in leadership) for the Saint Meinrad Archabbey monastic community, and he also is a commuting chaplain for Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand.
Father McMullen became a monk of Blue Cloud Abbey in Marvin, S.D., on Aug. 1, 1960, and made his first profession of vows on Aug. 15, 1961.
He studied at Saint Meinrad’s high school and college from 1955-60, completing college at Blue Cloud Abbey. He studied theology at St. Bede Abbey in Peru, Ill., and was ordained a priest on May 29, 1966. He did graduate studies at The Catholic University of America from 1967-69. He holds a master’s degree in library science.
As a monk of Blue Cloud, he served in various assignments, including 40 years as the abbey librarian. He also served in area parishes and as the abbey treasurer. He served the Native Americans at St. Ann’s Indian Mission in Belcourt, N.D., for three years. When Blue Cloud Abbey closed in 2013, Father McMullen transferred to Saint Meinrad Archabbey.
