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Interview with Fr. Thomas Knoblach
How did you know God was calling you to be a priest? How old were you?
I attribute the key moment in my initial discernment to Sister Charlene Kabarle, OSB, my German teacher in high school. In a Christmas card a couple of years after graduation, she asked: “With your talents and abilities, have you ever considered becoming a priest?” Well, no, I hadn’t, not seriously. But that direct and encouraging question expressed an invitation, and I began to think about a vocation. Along with some closed doors in career plans and a break-up with a long-time girlfriend, the door to seminary opened, and I transferred to St. Mary’s College in Winona and entered IHM Seminary there when I was 20. Those were growthful if challenging years – academically, I did fine, but maturing as a person and as a believer is always hard work.
What do you like most about being a priest?
It is hard to point out one thing I like “most” – there are many enjoyable and fulfilling aspects of ministry: seeing God work in people’s lives at close range; sharing the richness and meaning of the Gospel message; celebrating the sacraments; sharing the joys and sorrows of the journey of life and being inspired by the generosity, courage, and sheer goodness of so many people in our parishes. But perhaps what I like most is the sense of responding to God’s call in my life, striving in all my imperfection and weakness to be available to mediate the presence, wisdom, and mercy of Jesus Christ.
What are your favorite ways of praying? Do you have a favorite scripture passage?
The Liturgy of the Hours is full of depth and still, after over 20 years, reveals layers of meaning I had not seen before. The Scriptures, too, when read as a living conversation with God, are inexhaustibly rich. I also like simply to sit with Christ and have a chat … when I can be honest, transparent, and real, then I can listen to His wisdom that never fails to astound, move, and guide me. I don’t always follow as well as I would wish, but He is always there to lead.
My favorite Scripture passage continues to be Philippians 3:10, the verse I chose as the kind of “theme” for my share in the priesthood at my ordination: “I wish to know Christ, and the power flowing from His resurrection; likewise to know how to share in His sufferings by being formed into the pattern of His death.” I have prayed that daily for over 20 years, and it seems to me to summarize the whole of the Christian life.
What is your favorite type of music? Do you have a favorite singer or band? Do you play any instruments?
I don’t listen to lots of music, but some of the more thoughtful lyrics of Paul Simon, Gloria Estefan, Fleetwood Mac, Sting, and so on are not bad. I also really like the work of Michael Card in Christian music – he seems to me to have grasped the same kind of allegorical or typological reading of the Scriptures that some of the great patristic writers like Leo the Great, Augustine, Ambrose, and others expressed so well.
I used to play trumpet in high school and college, but that was a long time ago!
Where is your hometown? Do you have siblings? How many? Do you have nieces and nephews? Do you see your relatives often?
I grew up in St. Cloud, and I have a sister and two brothers. I have one niece and one nephew. My father died in 2003, and my mother is at Country Manor in Sartell. We are really pretty close, although we all have busy lives; we all live in the St. Cloud so see each other often.
Were your family and friends surprised to hear of your vocation to the priesthood?
No, most people seemed to know before I did. But I must say they were all supportive without ever putting pressure or expectations on me, especially my parents. They all continue to be supportive of me, and I am very grateful for that basic, bedrock affirmation of who I am.
What do you do in your free time? Do you like to play sports, hunt, fish, other recreational activities, etc.? What are your hobbies?
I walk every day for exercise; bicycle when possible; do woodworking (clocks and small furniture items); and do maintenance and repair on vehicles for friends and for people of limited means. I find the mechanical work very satisfying – a different kind of challenge to mind and skill, an experience of some of the kind of work the people of the parishes do for a living, and a tribute and way of spiritual closeness to my dad, who was a mechanic. It also gives me lots of good stories to swap.
What seminary did you go to?
For college: Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona; for theology: the North American College in Rome.
What college degree(s) or post high school education have you completed?
I have been very blessed with a rich education, and I am grateful to the Diocese for making this possible.
B.A. in Philosophy (St. Mary’s College, Winona)
S.T.B. in Theology (University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome)
M.A. in Dogmatic Theology (University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome)
M.A. in Philosophy (University of St. Thomas, Houston)
Ph.D. in Healthcare Ethics (St. Louis University)
Any other interesting tidbits you would like to add…
I am also blessed to have a range of opportunities and experiences beyond parish ministry itself over the years, including: chaplain for various Knights of Columbus councils; six years as diocesan moderator for the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women; instructor at Cathedral High School and Saint Louis University; member of the Marian Year committee, the Chastity Education Committee, the Marriage Pastoral Letter draft and implementation committees; director of the Office of Pro-Life Activities for the diocese; Consultant for Healthcare Ethics for the diocese; chaplain for the Courage ministry; and a few other small hats. This diversity in ministry is part of the enjoyment I have as a priest – the work and life of the Church is vast and endlessly interesting!
