We ask you, urgently: don’t scroll past this
Dear readers, Catholic Online was de-platformed by Shopify for our pro-life beliefs. They shut down our Catholic Online, Catholic Online School, Prayer Candles, and Catholic Online Learning Resources—essential faith tools serving over 1.4 million students and millions of families worldwide. Our founders, now in their 70's, just gave their entire life savings to protect this mission. But fewer than 2% of readers donate. If everyone gave just $5, the cost of a coffee, we could rebuild stronger and keep Catholic education free for all. Stand with us in faith. Thank you.Help Now >
Remembering Father Alfred Kunz
FREE Catholic Classes
By Matt C. Abbott
Op/Ed
On March 4, it will be ten years since Father Alfred Kunz, a priest of the Diocese of Madison, Wis., was found dead in his parish, his throat cut. The case remains unsolved.
Jacek Cianciara remembers Father Kunz fondly.
"It is because of Father Kunz that I came back to the Catholic Church, after many years of wandering in the 'wilderness' of our secular world," wrote Mr. Cianciara, who also related the following anecdotes.
"One Sunday, we were going as usual to St. Michael's for a morning Mass. This was daylight saving time Sunday and we forgot to adjust our watches. We were running a bit late and arrived at St. Michael's after 9 a.m. To our surprise, when we entered the Church, we realized that the Mass was just ending.
"We stood at the back of the church hopelessly wondering where there is a nearby church where we could attend Mass. Father Kunz, who was just walking back toward the sacristy singing 'Holy God We Praise Thy Name,' already figured out what had happened. He interrupted his enthusiastic singing to tell us he'd be back from the sacristy in few minutes for another Mass. His Masses normally lasted about an hour and a half, but he was back in a jiffy, ready to celebrate Mass for the small band -- the two parents and four kids, and two others, who had forgotten to change their clocks."
"Another Sunday, being down with a bad cold, I was staying at home with my daughter, who was also quite sick. My wife and our other three kids were out of town visiting with her mother. In the early afternoon, I spoke with Father Kunz on the phone discussing some matters and mentioned that we felt badly about not being able to attend Mass.
"Father Kunz mentioned something like 'Let me see what can be done,' which I understood to be related to our previous discussion. To our surprise, about an hour later we heard a rattling sound of a car driving down the street and noticed a crimson Volkswagen stopping in front of our house. A minute later, Father Kunz appeared at the door. He said a little prayer, blessed us, gave us Communion, and left, saying that he had many other important things to do that afternoon."
The Tridentine Mass Society of the Madison, Wis., Catholic diocese is having a Mass in remembrance of Father Kunz on March 4, 2008 at Holy Redeemer Parish, 120 W. Johnson St. in Madison.
An advertisement for the Mass contains the following biography (edited):
"Alfred Kunz was born in Dodgeville, Wisconsin on April 15, 1930 and grew up in Fennimore where his family owned a cheese factory nearby. His father was a Swiss immigrant and his mother, a German, was born in America. He had three brothers and four sisters. Father Kunz went to St. Mary's grade school in Fennimore, then left the state for 12 years of schooling at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Worthington, Ohio. He said his first solemn Mass on June 3, 1956, at St. Mary's in Fennimore. He was associate pastor at Congregations in Waunakee, Cassville, and Monroe, before coming to St. Michael's in Dane to serve as pastor in 1967....
"...He hated abortion, often preaching against it from the pulpit. One day, on a rainy Saturday, he conducted a funeral for a little baby who had been taken dead from a trash can at a Milwaukee abortion clinic. He placed the baby in a small casket and buried it in front of the church, next to a shrine of Our Lady of Fatima.
"Father Kunz was an expert on Church [canon] law and was consulted by religious leaders across the country. He also performed exorcisms, and was venerated as a confessor. One long standing penitent of his says that 'When you went to confession to Father Kunz, you knew you were in the presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ.'
"On Tuesday, March 3, 1998, he was dropped off at his parish by a fellow priest. On the morning of March 4, the first Wednesday in Lent, a young teacher found Father's body on the floor in the school wing of St. Michaels.
"Father Kunz was a friend of the late renowned theologian Father John Hardon, S.J., the late Father Charles Fiore, and the late Catholic author Malachi Martin."
(Matt C. Abbott is a Catholic columnist with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication, Media and Theatre from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, and an Associate in Applied Science degree in Business Management from Triton College in River Grove, Ill. He is the former director of public affairs for the Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League and the former executive director of the Illinois Right to Life Committee. He was a contributor to The Wanderer Catholic newspaper and had numerous letters to the editor published in major newspapers, including The New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, and the Chicago Sun-Times. He can be reached at mattcabbott@gmail.com)
Contact
Matt C. Abbott
https://www.catholic.org
IL, US
Matt C. Abbott - Author, 661 869-1000
mattcabbott@gmail.com
Keywords
Catholic, Abbott
More Catholic PRWire
Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716
A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain
Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.
The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul
A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.
Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell
My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz
Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell
Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online
Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online
Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online
State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online
Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online
2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online
Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online
Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online
Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online
Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online
Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online
Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online
Full Circle
Robert Gieb
Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite
Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony
Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell
World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online
Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA
Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online
A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe
Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly
Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard
The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely
Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow
A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow
Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea
Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard
Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol
Edging God Out
Paul Sposite
Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow
George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online
Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell
Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey
Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite
Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol
Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol
Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online
Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online
Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online
Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online
Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online
Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online
Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Advent Reflection - Day 5 - The First Thursday of Advent
-
Advent: Rushing to the Side of Mary
-
Lost Traditions, Hidden Agendas: How Rockefeller Reshaped Medicine and Erased Ancient Knowledge
-
Advent Reflection - Day 4 - The First Wednesday of Advent
-
Separation of Church and State: Myth, Reality, and Its Role in a Troubled Society
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Friday, December 06, 2024
- St. Nicholas: Saint of the Day for Friday, December 06, 2024
- Everything has its Time: Prayer of the Day for Friday, December 06, 2024
- Daily Readings for Thursday, December 05, 2024
- St. Sabas: Saint of the Day for Thursday, December 05, 2024
- Infant Jesus of Prague Novena Prayer: Prayer of the Day for Thursday, December 05, 2024
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.