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An estimated $75,000 to $80,000 damage was done when a fire gutted the east wing of Sts. Peter and Paul’s school. The fire, which occurred at night, was believed to have been caused by defective wiring. Three classrooms, a storage room, and the auditorium were destroyed in the fire. The diocese mourned the death of Sister Camillus Gretsch, a Benedictine sister who had made her first vows in 1906. Sister Camillus served at the Crookston hospital, St. Ann’s home, St. Mary’s hospital, Duluth, and the McCabe guest home. Also, Father John Dolsina of the Diocese of Ljubljana, Slovenia, arrived in Duluth. He was the third refugee priest who would serve in the Diocese of Duluth and was the brother of Father Stanley Dolsina, who was serving as assistant pastor of Holy Family parish, Eveleth. Father John Dolsina was assigned to serve at St. Joseph in Gilbert.
The diocese established the Diocesan Office of Social Concern in response to a resolution made at the Priests’ Senate in which Bishop Paul F. Anderson stressed the need of the diocese for a structure through which it could provide leadership and coordination in the areas of social justice and social concern that would be of service to parishes and regions within the diocese. He appointed Father James Reinardy as the director of the new office.
The diocese mourned the death of Benedictine Sister Noreen O’Connell. Sister O’Connell, who was born in Ireland, came to the United States in 1928 to attend the College of St. Scholastica at the invitation of her brother, Father John O’Connell. She entered the Duluth Benedictine community in 1929, professed monastic vows in 1931, and spent many years working in education. Also, the diocese launched its website, www.dioceseduluth.org.
The diocese celebrated the ordination of Deacon James Mostek, who was ordained to the permanent diaconate by Bishop Paul Sirba at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary. The diocese also lost two priests, Father John Sustarsic, who passed away at age 90, and Father Edward Foster, age 86. Father Sustarsic was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Duluth by Bishop Thomas Welch in 1952. He served at St. Kevin’s, Pengilly; St. Joseph, Gilbert; Holy Family, Eveleth; St. Anthony, Ely; Holy Rosary, Aurora; and St. Pius X, Babbitt. He also served as chaplain to the Knights of Columbus. Father Foster graduated from All Hallows Seminary in Dublin and was ordained for the Diocese of Duluth by Bishop Austin Quinn at All Hallows in 1951. He served at St. Francis, Brainerd; Our Lady of Lourdes, Virginia; St. John, Duluth; St. Michael, Kerrick; Our Lady of Victory, Holyoak; Immaculate Heart, Crosslake; St. Emily, Emily; Immaculate Conception, Pine City; and Our Lady of Lourdes, Pine River.