New priest named for Holy Angels Parish in West Bend

The new Pastor at Holy Angels Parish in West Bend will be…..  I’ll let Rev. Gerald Brittain have the honors; the note below is from his column in the weekly bulletin.

The envelope please… (drumroll). We inspect the episcopal seal and open the envelope. The new Pastor of Holy Angels Parish will be Rev. Pat Heppe.

Rev. Pat comes from a farm south of Slinger. He still has a home on the farm. He has been helping out on weekends at St. Frances Cabrini for several years.

His day job is Vicar for Clergy. His office is at the Cousins Center and he boards during the week at the seminary.

The Vicar for Clergy tends and supervises primarily the priests of the Archdiocese in the Archbishop’s name.

At this time of year he also goes about celebrating Confirmations in the evening.

Prior to his current appointment he was in Fond du Lac for around 20 years and was very involved in working together with the parishes, building the new church on the east side of town, and forming the parishes into one.

Rev. Pat remembers coming to Holy Angels as a little boy and marveling at the beauty of the church.

Though he is eager to get back into parish life he will be vicar until June 30.

This past January, http://www.washingtoncountyinsider.com was the only local media to report on Holy Angels getting a new priest. An article with Rev. Gerald Brittain read:

Rev. Gerald Brittain made clear he did not say the word, ‘retirement.’

“What I said was there would be a new pastor for the parish and that will happen June 21,” he said. “I intend to continue to do something because if I sat and did nothing I’d go crazy.”

During Mass on Sunday Rev. Brittain shared the news with parishioners. He has been at the parish on Eighth Avenue since taking over for Rev. Jerome Rinzel who served from 1983 – 1995.

Others who have served with Rev. Brittain include Rev. Jerry Repenshek and Rev. Rick Wendell.

“I’ve been here 21 years,” said Brittain. “The assignment I had was for 12 years but since I played the system I got an extra nine.”

Brittain was notified by the Archdiocese that his assignment would be ending and a new pastor would replace him.

“I can’t be appointed a permanent pastor or associate because I’m beyond the age,” said Brittain.

A youthful 79, he said he can be appointed a temporary associate or retire.