With faith in the Resurrection of Jesus, we offer our prayers for Reverend Paul Vanden Hogen who entered eternal life on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at the age of 94.
Father Paul was born July 1, 1928, in Little Chute, WI, to the late George and Anna (Verkuilen) Vanden Hogen. He was the oldest of 8 children – one brother and six sisters. He graduated from St. John’s High School in Little Chute in 1946 and attended St. Norbert College for two years. He then studied at St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee and was ordained at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay by Bishop Stanislaus V. Bona on May 1, 1954.
Fr. Paul’s first appointment was to St. Peter Parish in Oshkosh. He was then assigned in 1958 to study educational counseling at Marquette University in Milwaukee. He finished his master’s degree in 1961 and during that time worked at Lourdes High School in Oshkosh up until 1965 when he was named pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Stiles and St. Louis Parish in Abrams. In 1966 he also served as Director of the Rural Life Conference and was named to three consecutive terms on the Diocesan Board of Consultors.
In 1969, Fr. Paul began serving as Pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Kimberly and as regional vicar and was then appointed to Sts. Peter and Paul in Hortonville in 1974 where he also served as Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus in New London and Stephensville. He was reassigned to St. Mary Parish, Winneconne, in 1984 and then to St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Lena in 1988. His final pastorship was from 1991-1998 at St. George Parish in King where he was also appointed Catholic Chaplain at Wisconsin Veterans Home. He received senior priest status in 1998 and helped as a temporary administrator for brief periods in St. Joseph Parish in Wautoma and St. Paul Parish in Plainfield.
Fr. Paul was a true servant; no one was a stranger to him. He found himself being enriched by serving, especially the sick, elderly and anyone in need.
Fr. Paul is survived by his siblings: Sister Paula, Mary Hietpas, Sister Paulyn, Jerome (Maureen) Vanden Hogen, Judy (Dave) Simon and Dorothy (Bob) Nelson; brother-in-law, Sylvester Vander Heiden; nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and great-great-nieces and nephews. Fr. Paul was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Rita Vander Heiden; and a brother-in-law, Wayne Hietpas.
Fr. Paul’s funeral vigil will be Thursday evening, June 22, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church, 411 Vandenbroek St., Little Chute, and there will be visitation before the Funeral Mass from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 23, 2023, also at the parish.
The Funeral Liturgy, expressing our faith and our hope in the promised glory of the Lord’s Resurrection, will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 23, 2023, at St. John Nepomucene Church with the Very Reverend John Girotti, Vicar General, as Celebrant and Dcn. Bob Precourt as Homilist. Burial will take place at St. John Cemetery in Little Chute. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Sisters of Christian Charity in Manitowoc, WI would be appreciated. For online condolences, please visit www.verkuilenfh.com
The family would like to sincerely thank the staff and hospice at St. Paul Elder Services, Kaukauna for their compassion and care.
Posted online on June 16, 2023
Published in Green Bay Press Gazette, The Post Crescent