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From the Desk of Father Barry Saylor

7/11/2018

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From the Desk of Father Barry Saylor
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I’m excited to be appointed the associate pastor here for the next two years. My name is Fr. Barry Saylor; still sounds weird to me to say Father! This has been a dream of mine since I was in 7th grade, so to finally be here is a true blessing.

A little about me, well maybe a lot since I’m a much later vocation than most coming into the priesthood. I grew up in Wisconsin Rapids, the younger of two children, with my brother Jeff. I was raised by my mother Jeannine with all my relatives living in the Wisconsin Rapids area. My father, Virgil passed away last August after years of complication from a lung disease. I first attended Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School then transferring to the public schools after 3rd grade, finally graduating from Lincoln in 86. I then went onto UW Eau Claire, joined the Army, and was stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio where I stayed after getting out of the Army four years later. I lived just outside San Antonio (in Cibolo) for 25 years.

During my time in San Antonio I worked in sales. I started with Chrysler after leaving the service for a short time and then spent 12 years with Saturn of San Antonio working in finance, sales management and internet sales. I was always the guy that said “did you notice that the headlights (or something else) changed on such and such car”, cars always interested me so it was a perfect fit. As Saturn was about to be deleted from the GM lineup, I began work- ing as a sales manager for Ace Fire Equipment. The automotive business didn’t lend much time for extra- curricular activities, but Ace Fire did. I became very active in my Texas home parish, Sts. Peter & Paul in New Braunfels, TX. I began the ministries of Eucharistic Minister, home bound minister Sundays after Mass, 5th & 6th grade youth teacher, 4th degree Knight, and ACTS (Adoration/ Communion/Theology/Service) retreat team leader. This last ministry is where I began to discern the call to priesthood.

After meeting a seminarian during a retreat, I revealed to him that I had often thought about priesthood, but after 30 had put it out of my mind thinking I was too old. It was through his prompt- ing that I got my first spiritual director who walked with me for a year discerning the call. After that year, I applied with the Archdiocese of San Antonio and was accepted. I sold my house and be- longings (took 18 months) and entered Assumption Seminary with studies at the Mexican American Catholic College in pre-theology. During my second year of formation and through much prayer, I felt a strong call to leave San Antonio and come back to Wisconsin; closer to family.

I met with Fr. Alan Wierzba and Bishop Callahan during my Christmas break in December 2013. I then spent my last semester in San Antonio applying to transfer to the Diocese of La Crosse. I was accepted and placed at St. Francis de Sales Seminary outside Milwaukee for my four years of theology studies. The blessings I have received while being at St. Francis are many; Outstanding formation staff, caring professors and opportunities to visit the Holy Land, Rome, a summer in Alaska for Clinical Pastoral Education at Providence Hospital and a summer at Creighton University attend- ing the Institute of Priestly Formation. I graduated May 4th with my Masters of Divinity and was ordained to the priesthood just a week ago, June 30th in La Crosse by the Most Reverend, Bishop Callahan.

After 6 years in seminary, one would think you are well prepared for priesthood. I now see and realize that 6 years in a classroom isn’t nearly enough time to learn everything that a priest does. Although I’m very excited about being assigned to St. John’s in Marshfield and Christ the King in Spencer. I’m also nervous with all the firsts that I will be experiencing. I’m also looking forward to the many joys, laughs and even tears we will share over the next 2 years.

Thank you for opening your doors to an associate, I promise to each of you that I will do my best to bring the face of Christ with me wherever I am, learning as I go. I also look forward to meeting each of you on a personal level. Please continue to pray for me as I develop into a holy priest like Fr. Martin.
Father Barry Saylor 

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    Welcome to Christ the King Catholic Church!  Ever since 1938 this parish has been assisting souls in their quest for deeper union with God.  Our mission statement is essentially found in the stained glass window above the main altar:  “For Christ our King.”  Insofar as God made us and we belong to Him, we have come to... Read More

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