Archdiocesan priests
25th Ordination
Father Michael Esswein
Birthplace: St. Louis
Education: St. Louis Preparatory Seminary, Cardinal Glennon College, Saint Louis University and Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
Ordination: May 23, 1998, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin F. Rigali
Service in the Archdiocese: Associate pastor, St. Clare of Assisi, Ellisville, June 15, 1998
Associate pastor, St. Peter, Kirkwood, July 5, 2005
Parochial administrator, Annunciation, Webster Groves, June 16, 2015
Pastor, Annunciation, Webster Groves, June 30, 2016
Appointed dean of Mid-County Deanery and pastor of Immaculate Conception, Maplewood, with continued service as pastor at Annunciation, Aug. 15, 2018
Pastor, Our Lady of Providence, Crestwood, with continued service as pastor at Annunciation, Aug. 1, 2023-present
Father Thomas Kirchhoefer
Birthplace: St. Louis
Education: St. Louis Preparatory Seminary, Saint Louis University, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
Ordination: May 23, 1998, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin F. Rigali
Service in the Archdiocese: Associate pastor, Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Louis, June 15, 1998
Associate pastor, St. Blaise, Maryland Heights, June 12, 2000
Service outside of the Archdiocese: Appointed to serve as chaplain with the U.S. Army, Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, April 21, 2003
Chaplain at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina (with nine months deployed to Afghanistan), 2003-05
Chaplain at Schweinfurt, Germany (with 15 months deployed to Iraq), 2005-08
Chaplain at Fort Riley, Kansas (with 12 months deployed to Iraq), 2009-10
Chaplain Career Course, Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina, 2010-11
Chaplain at Fort Lee, Petersburg, Virginia, 2011-13
Chaplain at Bay Pines VA Medical Center, St. Petersburg, Florida, 2014-21
Chaplain at Malcom Randal VA Medical Center, Gainesville, Florida, 2021-22
Chief chaplain at Kansas City VA Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri, 2022-present
Father Gregory Klump
Birthplace: St. Louis
Education: De Smet Jesuit High School, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
Ordination: May 23, 1998, at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis by Archbishop Justin F. Rigali
Service in the Archdiocese: Associate pastor, Immaculate Conception, Dardenne Prairie, June 15, 1998
Associate pastor, St. Francis Borgia, Washington, July 20, 2004
Associate pastor, Ste. Genevieve, Ste. Genevieve, June 16, 2009
Part-time associate pastor, Ste. Genevieve and parochial administrator, Sts. Philip and James, River aux Vases, June 17, 2014
Pastor, Sts. Philip and James, River aux Vases, remaining part-time associate pastor at Ste. Genevieve, June 16, 2015
Pastor, Our Lady, Festus, June 26, 2018
Pastor, Sacred Heart, Valley Park, Aug. 1, 2023-present
50th Ordination
Father Robert Reiker
Birthplace: St. Louis
Education: St. Louis Preparatory-South, Cardinal Glennon College, Kenrick Seminary
Ordination: May 19, 1973, at the St. Louis Cathedral by Cardinal John J. Carberry
Service in the Archdiocese: Associate pastor, Our Lady of Mercy, Hazelwood, May 22, 1973
Associate pastor, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, St. Louis, May 25, 1978
Associate pastor, Most Blessed Sacrament, St. Louis, June 2, 1981
Pastor, St. Ann Shrine, St. Louis, Sept. 26, 1984
Pastor, Most Holy Rosary, St. Louis and administrator of St. Ann Church, St. Louis, June 18, 1987
Pastor, Immaculate Conception, Dardenne Prairie, Nov. 22, 1994
Pastor, Mary Queen of Peace, Webster Groves, June 16, 2010
Pastor, St. Raphael the Archangel, St. Louis, Nov. 17, 2015
Pastor, St. Bernadette, Lemay, June 26, 2018
Retirement, Aug. 1, 2023
Father Paul Telken
Birthplace: St. Louis
Education: St. Louis Preparatory-South, Cardinal Glennon College, Kenrick Seminary
Ordination: May 19, 1973 at the St. Louis Cathedral by Cardinal John J. Carberry
Service in the Archdiocese: Associate pastor, St. Monica, Creve Coeur, May 22, 1973
Associate pastor, St. Rose of Lima, St. Louis, June 2, 1975
Temporary associate pastor, Mary Queen of the Universe, Lemay, April 11, 1983
Pastor, St. Edward, St. Louis, Jan. 24, 1984
Senior priest in service, St. Joseph, Kimmswick, Feb. 2, 1993
Administrator, St. Clare, St. Clair, Jan. 26, 1994
Pastor, St. Clare, St. Clair, Sept. 14, 1994
Pastor, St. Alphonsus, Millwood, March 15, 2005
Administrator, St. Anthony, Sullivan, May 19, 2009
Pastor, St. Anthony, Sullivan, Aug. 28, 2009
Retirement, Aug. 1, 2023
Service outside of the Archdiocese: Appointed to the Latin American Apostolate, Bolivia, May 25, 1977
Father John Wetmore
Birthplace: St. Louis
Education: St. Louis University High School, Cardinal Glennon College, Kenrick Seminary
Ordination: May 19, 1973 at the St. Louis Cathedral by Cardinal John J. Carberry
Service in the Archdiocese:
Associate pastor, All Souls, Overland, May 22, 1973
Part-time associate pastor, St. Hedwig, St. Louis, and teacher at Bishop DuBourg High School, June 2, 1975
Associate pastor, St. Robert Bellarmine, St. Charles, Nov. 3, 1982
Associate pastor, St. Francis de Sales, St. Louis, Jan 21, 1987
Pastor, Visitation-Holy Ghost, St. Louis, June 20, 1990
Associate pastor, St. Stephen Protomartyr, St. Louis, June 25, 1991
Senior associate pastor, St. Joseph, Manchester, June 11, 1997
Pastor, St. Clare, St. Clair, March 15, 2005
Senior associate pastor, St. Gabriel the Archangel, St. Louis, Feb. 2, 2015
Retirement, July 1, 2018
Service outside of the Archdiocese: Appointed to Latin American Apostolate, Bolivia, May 25, 1977
60th Ordination
Father Thomas Bryon
Birthplace: St. Louis
Education: St. Louis University High School, St. Louis Preparatory Seminary, Kenrick Seminary
Ordination: March 30, 1963 at the St. Louis Cathedral by Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter
Service in the Archdiocese: Part-time religion teacher, Laboure High School, April 3, 1963
Assistant pastor, St. William Parish, Woodson Terrace, May 13, 1963
Associate pastor, St. Mary Magdalen, St. Louis, June 22, 1970
Associate pastor, St. Jerome, Bissell Hills, Sept. 17, 1974
Associate pastor, St. Dominic Savio, Affton, Sept. 1, 1977
Associate pastor, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Ferguson, June 8, 1983
Associate pastor, St. Mary Magdalen, St. Louis, Feb. 4, 1992
Associate pastor, St. Gerard Majella, Kirkwood, Dec. 2, 2002
Retirement, June 18, 2013
Father C. Robert Dorhauer
Birthplace: St. Louis
Education: St. Louis Preparatory Seminary, Cardinal Glennon College, Kenrick Seminary
Ordination: March 30, 1963, at the St. Louis Cathedral by Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter
Service in the Archdiocese: Part-time religion teacher, DeAndreis High School, April 3, 1963
Assistant pastor, Annunziata, Ladue, May 13, 1963
Full-time teacher with high schools of the archdiocese, July 12, 1967
Part-time associate pastor, St. Pius X, Glasgow Village, July 13, 1967
Appointed to post-graduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis, Sept. 26, 1967
Part-time associate pastor, Our Lady of Fatima, Florissant, Sept. 17, 1975
Part-time associate pastor, Nativity of Our Lord, St. Louis, and teacher at Rosary High School, June 7, 1978
Part-time associate pastor, St. Edward, St. Louis and continue teaching at Rosary High School, June 23, 1982
Part-time associate pastor, Most Holy Rosary Parish, St. Louis and continue teaching at Rosary High School, Jan. 24, 1984
Pastor, St. Sebastian, north St. Louis County, June 19, 1985
Pastor, St. Richard, Creve Coeur, Nov. 22, 1994
Senior associate pastor, Queen of All Saints, Oakville, June 13, 2006
Senior associate pastor, Sacred Heart, Florissant, June 19, 2007
Retirement, June 18, 2012
Most Rev. Robert Hermann
Birthplace: Weingarten, Missouri
Education: St. Louis Preparatory Seminary, Cardinal Glennon College, Kenrick Seminary, Saint Louis University
Ordination: March 30, 1963, at the St. Louis Cathedral by Cardinal Joseph E. Ritter
Service in the Archdiocese: Temporary assistant pastor, Our Lady Help of Christians, Weingarten, May 13, 1963
Assistant pastor, St. Catherine of Siena, Pagedale, Aug. 19, 1963
Appointed part-time religion teacher, Mercy High School, Aug. 28, 1963
Assistant pastor, St. Cronan, St. Louis, with continued studies at Saint Louis University, Sept. 1, 1964
Teacher at DeAndreis High School, Aug. 10, 1966
Full-time teacher, St. Louis Prepratory Seminary-North, Aug. 7, 1967
Part-time associate pastor, Holy Ghost, Berkeley, May 24, 1968
Part-time associate pastor, Holy Cross, St. Louis, Oct. 30, 1972
Appointed member, Archdiocesan Clergy Conference Commission, May 23, 1973
Part-time associate pastor, Most Holy Trinity Parish, St. Louis and to continue on staff at St. Louis Preparatory Seminary-North, June 9, 1976
Associate pastor, St. Pius X, Glasgow Village, June 13, 1979
Pastor, St. Andrew Parish, Lemay, April 14, 1982
Pastor, Incarnate Word, Chesterfield, June 22, 1988
Appointed dean, Northwest County Deanery for three-year term, May 1, 1996
Reappointed dean, Northwest County Deanery for an additional three-year term, May 1, 1999
Appointed vicar general for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Aug. 5, 2002
Appointed auxiliary bishop of St. Louis, Titular Bishop of Zerta, Oct. 16, 2002
Episcopal ordination at Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, residence at Our Lady of Sorrows, St. Louis, Dec. 12, 2002
In residence at Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, March 27, 2004
Appointed parochial administrator, St. Alban Roe, Wildwood, Nov. 30, 2004
Elected archdiocesan administrator, June 27, 2008
Retirement, Dec. 1, 2010
65th ordination
Msgr. William Leach
Birthplace: St. Charles
Education: St. Louis Preparatory Seminary, Kenrick Seminary
Ordination: March 22, 1958 at the St. Louis Cathedral by Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter
Service in the Archdiocese: Assistant pastor, St. Lucy, Jennings, May 9, 1961
Part-time religion teacher, Laboure High School, Sept. 5, 1961
Associate pastor, St. Boniface, St. Louis, June 12, 1969
Associate pastor, Christ the King, University City, June 5, 1974
Associate pastor, St. John the Apostle and Evangelist, St. Louis, June 11, 1975
Pastor, St. Jude, Overland, Feb. 7, 1979
Pastor, St. John the Baptist, Gildehaus, March 5, 1984
Senior associate pastor, St. Peter, St. Charles, June 25, 2001
Senior parochial vicar, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Oakville, Sept. 28, 2004
Named Prelate of Honor by Pope Benedict XVI and given the title Monsignor, July 1, 2008
Retirement, June 10, 2011
Service outside of the Archdiocese: Appointed to the Missionary Apostolate of Southeast Missouri, Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, April 9, 1958
Father Robert Leibrecht
Birthplace: St. Louis
Education: McBride High School, St. Louis Preparatory Seminary, Kenrick Seminary
Ordination: March 22, 1958 at the St. Louis Cathedral by Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter
Service in the Archdiocese: Assistant pastor, St. Louis Cathedral, St. Louis, April 23, 1958
Part-time religion teacher, Rosati-Kain High School, Sept. 5, 1958
Associate pastor, St. Jerome, Bissell Hills, Sept. 20, 1972
Pastor, St. Bernadette, Lemay, Feb. 15, 1977
Pastor, Sts. Joachim and Ann, St. Charles, June 16, 1981
Administrator, Holy Family, St. Louis, Jan. 12, 1994
Pastor, Holy Family, St. Louis, Oct. 10, 1994
Pastor, Holy Family, Port Hudson and administrator of St. Gerald Mission, Gerald, June 21, 1999
Retirement, June 16, 2009
Service outside of the Archdiocese: Appointed to Latin American Apostolate, Bolivia, July 9, 1962
Appointed to an additional term with the Latin America Apostolate, Sept. 11, 1974