Early in his assignment as pastor of Saint Catherine of Siena Parish in DuBois, Monsignor Richard Siefer read a lot about the parish’s namesake. “Saint Catherine had a deep and abiding love for Christ, she was a great teacher – one of the first women to be named Doctor of the Church,” he describes. “She also spoke up courageously to Pope Gregory XI in the 14th century, telling him to move from France to Rome,” he chuckles, signaling his admiration for her spunk. Those who know this beloved priest may think he has much in common with Saint Catherine of Siena.
Monsignor Siefer’s affinity for this parish community and the DuBois region grew exponentially during his 32-year tenure as pastor of Saint Catherine Parish, the longest serving pastor in the history of the parish. Over the years he led the parish through significant transitions -- upgrades to facilities and properties including the renovation and rededication of the church in 1993.
Lenten Vespers tops his list of spiritual highlights while at Saint Catherine. “Enjoyable and impactful,” he describes, when sharing about this annual ecumenical tradition developed in collaboration with parish staff and volunteers.
Though from Oil City, close relationships with parish staff, parishioners, and neighbors throughout the community over the years have made DuBois home for Monsignor Siefer.
In recent years as Monsignor Siefer planned for retirement, he became aware of financial planning strategies that would provide for his living expenses and later enable him to give charitably through his estate. Prior to that he hadn’t considered the possibility that he could make a meaningful donation somewhere. When his financial advisor asked him how he’d like to designate the remainder of his charitable trust, he got to thinking.
As Vicar of the Eastern Vicariate of the Diocese of Erie during the years leading into his retirement, Monsignor Siefer had more of an opportunity than most to learn about the structure, governance, and mission of the Catholic Foundation. He also learned that through the Foundation donors can designate their gifts to a ministry or Catholic program of their choosing. “I have a secure feeling about the Catholic Foundation,” he says. “I thought, what better place to house what’s left after I’m gone?”
With a desire to support the future of the Catholic community he calls home, he established the Reverend Monsignor Richard R. Siefer Endowment to benefit faith formation and evangelization activities in DuBois. “I hope we will become evangelizers and I know we will need resources to accomplish that,” Monsignor says. “What little I can do to help make this happen is the gift I want to give.”
During his final years as pastor Monsignor Siefer courageously shepherded the DuBois region Catholic community through a difficult pastoral planning process. He shares realistically, “It was the hardest thing to do, yet a gift for the future, for the younger folks, the next generation.” Work leading to the merging of five parishes was demanding and challenging yet prepares the community to move forward. “This community is close to my heart. Now as Holy Spirit Parish at Saint Catherine Church, I want to see it succeed in all ways.”
“I have a secure feeling about the Catholic Foundation. I thought, what better place to house what’s left after I’m gone?”