St. John the Baptist Catholic Parish

We welcome Fr. Ron Kreilein to St. John Parish.

High School: Jasper High School
College: Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
School of Theology: Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corner, Wisconsin

I was born April 6, 1955 to Roman and Clara (Hurm) Kreilein, in Jasper, IN. I have one sister, Joyce, who is three years older than I. I went to Holy Family Grade School in Jasper, then to the Magister Noster Latin School, a preparatory seminary, (now the present Catholic Center) for three years. At the end of my junior year, the Latin School was closed. I graduated from Jasper High School in 1973.

The Latin School was located on a direct path towards the northeast runway at the Evansville airport, which contributed to my love of airplanes. I had planned to begin studying for the priesthood in the Fall of 1973, but decided instead to take up a career in flying at the Huntingburg, IN airport. I flew airplanes for a living for twenty-eight years and achieved the highest rating a pilot can get, the Airline Transport Pilot rating. The airplanes I have flown have been anything from a two-seat single-engine piston airplane to a 525 m.p.h. corporate jet.

During my years of flying there always was the question in the back of my mind, "What would have happened if the Latin School had not closed? Would I have become a priest?" I met with Fr. Tony Ernst, who was the associate pastor of St. Joseph Church in Jasper. He thought I'd never be satisfied in knowing unless I gave the seminary another chance. After leaving my career of flying, I worked at Leed Selling Tools in Ireland, IN while discerning whether to go the seminary. The people there encouraged me with prayers and support in my decision to give it another try.

I visited Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corner, Wisconsin, which is just outside of Milwaukee. Having no college, I went to Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee for two years and for four years to Sacred Heart, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Religious Studies and a Master of Divinity.

I am looking forward to my first assignment at St. John the Baptist under the leadership of Fr. Joe Ziliak. Fr. Joe was the vice-rector of the Latin School when I was there and he also taught me German. It is a great honor to be here and I am anxious to meet everyone. God bless.