In addition to Father Greg Esty and Father John Klockeman, The Catholic Spirit is honored this year to highlight other priests of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who are marking 50 years or 25 years of ministry. Members of men’s and women’s religious communities who are marking milestone anniversaries this year, and who are serving or have served in the archdiocese, will be recognized in our July 10 edition. With gratitude and joy, we congratulate all those celebrating major anniversaries.
50 years
1975 Ordination
Father John Hofstede, 76, has been retired since 2016. Before retiring, he served as chaplain at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Fairview and pastor of St. Cecilia in St. Paul (2014-2016). Prior to this, he was chaplain for pastoral health care and hospitals in the chancery in St. Paul and at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis (2002-2014). He was pastor of Christ the King in Minneapolis (1992-2002) and then-St. John in St. Paul (1985-1992). He was associate pastor of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in Bloomington (1982-1985), Annunciation in Minneapolis (1979-1982) and then-St. Luke in St. Paul (1975-1979).
25 years
2000 Ordination
Father Albert Paul Backmann, 88, has been retired since 2011 but remained active, including part-time as a minister to clergy in the chancery since 2019. He was parochial administrator of Sts. Joachim and Anne in Shakopee (2021-2022) and parochial administrator of St. Patrick in Edina (2018-2019), Transfiguration in Oakdale (2018), St. Stephen in Minneapolis (2016-2017), St. Therese in Deephaven (2015-2016), St. Michael in Kenyon (2015) and Divine Mercy in Faribault (2015). He was the director of the retired clergy office at the chancery (2011-2015) and spiritual advisor at Cursillo de Cristiandad (2009-2016). Prior to his retirement, he served as spiritual director at St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul (2009-2011), chaplain for the Knights of Columbus in Lindstrom (2006-2009), and pastor of St. Brigid of Sweden in Lindstrom (2006-2009), Immaculate Conception in Columbia Heights (2001-2006), and St. John Neumann in Eagan (2000-2001).
Father Scott Carl, 50, has been vice rector and faculty member of The St. Paul Seminary since 2004 and has served as sacramental minister for Latino Ministry at St. Odilia in Shoreview since 2020. In addition, he ministered at Assumption in Richfield (2014-2021). His parish work also included serving as associate pastor of St. Anne in Hamel, St. Thomas the Apostle in Corcoran and Sts. Peter and Paul in Medina (2011-2014). Moreover, he served as chaplain for Serra Clubs (2011-2021) and for the former Marriage, Family and Life Office at the chancery (2009-2013). He served in Hispanic ministry at St. Odilia in Shoreview (2008-2011) after returning from graduate school in Rome (2004-2008). Before going to Rome, from 2002 to 2004 he served as parochial vicar of St. Therese, St. Leo and St. Gregory the Great (three parishes now merged as Lumen Christi in St. Paul) and as parochial vicar and parochial administrator of Presentation of Mary in Maplewood (2000-2002).
Father Robert Grabner, 70, has been retired since 2021. Before retiring, he was spiritual moderator of the Archdiocesan Association of Holy Name Societies (2010-2021). His parish work included serving in South St. Paul as associate pastor of St. Augustine (2009-2011) and Holy Trinity (2009-2021) and in St. Paul as parochial administrator of then-St. John (2004-2005) and then-St. Vincent de Paul (2003-2004). He was parochial vicar of St. Peter in North St. Paul (2001-2002) and All Saints in Lakeville (2000-2001).
Father Robert (Bob) Hart, 76, has been retired since 2018, but continues as a minister to those with chemical dependency through the Clergy Services Office at the chancery, a ministry he accepted in 2017. He has been parochial administrator of Annunciation in Minneapolis since 2024. Prior to this, he was parochial administrator of St. Bonaventure in Bloomington (2020-2021), Annunciation in Hazelwood and St. Dominic in Northfield (2019-2020). Before retiring, he was parochial administrator, then pastor, of St. Patrick in Inver Grove Heights (2010-2018), pastor of Transfiguration in Oakdale (2002-2010) and parochial vicar of Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul (2000-2002). He was chaplain of the Knights of Columbus on St. Paul’s Eastside (2007-2008)
