Father Andy presided over his last service at St. Mary’s on Sunday
Leaving St. Mary’s after six years was by no means an easy decision for Father Andy Michels, but, as he says, it was time to go.
Michels was the guest of honor at a going-away reception after Mass on Sunday and was sent off by dozens of well-wishers, most of them telling the priest how much they will miss him.
And he will miss them as well.
“I don’t have any complaints,” he said as his last guests left his party Sunday. “I really have enjoyed it. The priests had to teach me a number of things, which I was willing to learn, but they seemed to know where to put me. They were able to put me in assignments that I seemed to flourish in.”
Michels got started in ministry in 1985 in Sleepy Eye. His education in religion started at St. Mary’s College in Winona before going to St. John’s Seminary in Collegeville.
“When I was in college, the priest in the seminary told me if I wanted to go in the seminary I needed to have so many courses in philosophy and religion,” he said. “I ended up minoring in philosophy and I majored in history.”
Father Andy has served the 15-county New Ulm Diocese in Tracy, Cottonwood, Milroy and Marshall.
“I decided to join a diocese, so I came here,” he said. “Because the parishes are smaller, I can get to know the people more.”
While in the seminary, Father Andy had requested after his first year to be placed in two parishes for a more broad experience.
“My question became, ‘do I really want to be a priest in this area?’” he said. “With a week or two, the answer was an astounding yes. I’ve enjoyed my time ever since.”
Father Andy turned out to be a perfect fit in a smaller church setting, as if it was a real match made in heaven. He appreciated not only knowing the people — both adults and the children — but knowing something about them as well.
“That doesn’t always happen in very big parishes,” he said. “I liked teaching the kids, because I’m hoping and praying that I’m getting them on track with the Lord. I feel we should enjoy life, and they liked the puzzles I gave them and the jokes — the kids will bring the jokes home and tell their parents and I liked that.”
Sunday was bittersweet for Father Andy; he’s looking forward to retirement, but will miss his parishes, especially the one in Tracy.
“I picked (Tracy) because here you have a hospital, a nursing home and a school — the others don’t have all that,” he said. “I’ve gone out to Walnut Grove and do a Mass there, and do burials and funerals all over; I tried to be available for whatever they need.”
Father Andy will return to his condo in Roseville that was bequeathed to him by his mother.
“It’s on the second floor of a three-floor building, and I have two bedrooms, underground heated garage — everything I’ve always wanted,” he said. “I have a nice deck on it; it’s almost like mom bought the thing knowing I would like it.”
But don’t think he will be spending all of his time there.
“My friends won’t let me!” he said. “One of them called up — ‘we want you to go here, we want you to go there.’ I said, ‘wait, I’m coming on the first, call me on the third and I’ll be ready to go.”
