Three parish priests lay down their shepherd's staffs - Msgr. Bonnell

Intermountain Catholic

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Msgr. Bonnell

LAYTON — Monsignor Victor G. Bonnell will celebrate his last Mass as pastor on June 19, at Saint Rose of Lima Parish, where he has served for more than 22 years. He will retire and move to Twinsburg, Ohio, with his family, who are already planning a ‘Welcome Back to Cleveland, Uncle Victor’ party. He plans to assist in the local parishes in Cleveland.

The date of his last Mass has particular meaning for him. "June 19 will be my 83rd birthday, it’s Father’s Day and I arrived in Salt Lake City on June 19, in 1960, 51 years ago," he said.

Msgr. Bonnell was born in Cleveland in 1928. He received a bachelor’s degree from John Carroll University in 1951, and served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953. "I served during the Korean War on the front lines as a supply sergeant," he said. "After the army, I received a master’s degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in 1956."

From the time Monsignor was 16, he felt a call to the priesthood, but did not pursue it. "I considered it, and let it go," he said. "I’ve always gone to Catholic schools, a Jesuit college, and I finally decided to try the seminary. Fifty-six years ago the East had a lot of priests, and the western part of the United States was mission territory. I wrote to Bishop Duane Hunt and he suggested I go to St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. I was ordained for the Diocese of Salt Lake City in Cleveland at St. John’s Cathedral in 1960, by then Archbishop John Krol, soon to be Cardinal Krol."

After his ordination on May 28, 1960, he served in several assignments. His first assignment was as assistant pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Salt Lake City from 1960 to 1966. This was followed by his appointment as pastor of Saint James Parish in Vernal, where he served from 1966 to 1971. He was then pastor of Saint Mary of the Assumption in Park City from 1971 to 1972. His years of experience led him to the challenge of founding pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Parish in West Valley City, where he served for 10 years until 1982.

From there he served as chaplain of the Utah State Prison, the Salt Lake City Jail, the Salt Lake County Youth Detention Center and Decker Lake Youth Center from 1983 to 1989, before his assignment at St. Rose of Lima. "I really enjoyed the prison ministry," he said. "I hope I did some good work by giving them an ear so they could talk."

In his 22 years at St. Rose of Lima, he brought about many changes, including the building of a new church and social center in 1994. "He raised millions of dollars to build a modern church complex with its education center in 2009," said Monsignor J. Terrence Fitzgerald, vicar general of the diocese.

"During this time he also served as Northern Utah Dean and Diocesan Consultor. In 2001 he was named Monsignor, a Prelate of Honor, by Pope John Paul II, in recognition of his outstanding service to the Catholic Church.

"Msgr. Bonnell is a person of integrity who lives by the high standards he expects of others," Msgr. Fitzgerald added. "He is well-read, works hard and always focused on serving the diverse pastoral needs of his parishioners."

His parishioners are equally complimentary of Msgr. Bonnell.

"I will miss his discipline of the Mass and the respect he demands from the community," said Fermin Martinez, a St. Rose of Lima parishioner of 60 years.

"He has become part of our family," said Delfina Cook, a friend for more than 50 years. "He has a great sense of humor. We are really going to miss him."