Father Kevin Zubel Installed as Provincial Superior of Denver Province
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January 10, 2023Fr. Kevin Zubel was officially installed as Provincial Superior of the Denver Province in Chicago last week. Appropriately enough, the ceremony took place on the feast of St. John Neumann – a servant leader par excellence.
“Any Redemptorist who accepts a position of leadership in the Congregation is called to follow that prime example of St. John Neumann.
So much of our role is to ensure that the missionaries themselves are equipped for the mission, that they have our support, that their concerns are heard, that we are held accountable to our charism,” Fr. Kevin said.
He reflected on how past Provincial Superiors left their mark on building up what is now the Denver Province, and how several of them influenced his own personal life. Fr. Thomas Picton welcomed him into the formation program of the Congregation, Fr. Richard Thibodeau vested him as a priest and supervised him during his transition to ministry assignment in New Orleans, Fr. Harry Grile received his first vows, and Fr. Stephen Rehrauer received his final vows.
“Those who are called into some position of leadership – whether through some divine call or those like me who weren’t expecting to be in a position of leadership at this stage – are drawn to look to the Holy Redeemer for inspiration on how we are called to walk with our confreres, as well as the Redemptoristines, our Partners in Mission, and the entire extended Redemptorist family in our parishes and ministry sites who have given so generously of their lives and talents to partner with us to carry our mission forward, he said.
“I’m carrying all of my joyful memories and the legacy we’re trying to carry forward as I take this office,” he said. “It’s an honor and a blessing to walk alongside and work with the Provincial Office staff. Together, we are ministers to the ministers, missionaries to the missionaries.”
Present for the ceremony were outgoing Provincial Superior Stephen Rehrauer, new Provincial Vicar Aaron Meszaros; and the new leaders with the Provincial Office staff – Francisco Flores, Gilda Valentino and Bobby Borges, Dave Slade, Fr. Greg May, Fr. John Steingraeber.
