Fr. John Paul Erickson in His Own Words

Dear Nativity of Our Lord Parishioners and Friends,

I could not be more excited to serve you as your next Associate Pastor, under the leadership of Fr. Rolf Tollefson, a priest I have admired and enjoyed for nearly two decades. 

For the past six years I have served as pastor of Transfiguration in Oakdale, a beautiful community that I grew to love and cherish.  But the Archbishop has done me the great service of letting me take a break from administration, and I am thrilled to just be a priest, if you will, again. 

However long I am with you, I promise you my prayers, presence, and pastoral care.  Please pray for me as I prepare for this new service in the Lord’s vineyard, and please also pray for Transfiguration as they prepare for their new pastor.  

Some of you may understand when I say that there is some irony in my assignment to Nativity.  You see, I am a “Marker,” and grew up in Merriam Park.  In fact, I grew up directly across the street from the park itself.  

St. Mark’s parish was an enormous part of my life growing up, and my family was heavily involved in its life and mission for years.  St. Mark’s and Nativity were rivals at one time, though I fully admit that those days are probably done.  Nonetheless, I hope the healthy ribbing still exists.  I guess I’ll find out!

But beyond irony, there is also a sign of the providential, mysterious hand of God.  You see, I spent many hours in your Adoration chapel in my high school and college years. 

I also occasionally attended daily Mass in the early evenings in the summers of my college and seminary days in your beautiful church, and confessed many a sin in your confessional boxes.  (I always looked for Father Kelly — reliably consistent penances and speed…) 

And to get it even closer to home, I was ordained a deacon by Bishop Frederik Campbell in the very sanctuary where I will now regularly celebrate Mass. 

Oh yeah, and my parents were married here, by none other than Fr. “Jumpin” Jimmy Lavin, whom my father served as an acolyte while at college at St. Thomas.  I’ve still got the Nativity bulletin announcing my parents’ wedding banns which also, interestingly enough, had within its pages an advertisement for the Twin Cities Catholic Chorale under the directorship of the then-Fr. Richard Schuler.

After attending St. Mark’s School through 8th grade, I disregarded my beloved mother’s wish that I attend St. Thomas Academy, where she hoped I could be influenced and inspired by a young cleric named Fr. John Ubel.  Instead, I followed my friends to St. Agnes, from where I graduated in 1998.  I then headed to California where I attended Thomas Aquinas College, a small great books school, graduating in 2002. 

Feeling the call to the priesthood for many years, and frankly running from it, I finally entered the seminary that fall, hoping the good Lord would get me out after a year.  Four years later I was ordained a priest forever by Archbishop Flynn in our magnificent Cathedral.  

Since then, I have served as Associate Pastor at that same Cathedral, along with St. Vincent de Paul in St. Paul (home to the Twin Cities Hmong Catholic Community), and at St. Agnes.  From 2008-2018, I served as the Director of the Office of Worship for the Archdiocese, helping to coordinate major liturgies while also consulting with the Archbishop on liturgical matters.  I was honored to assist with the implementation of the New Roman Missal in 2011. 

From 2015-2018 I finally got a real job and served as Pastor of Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul, while also finishing my term as Director of the Office of Worship.  Since 2018, I have served the good people of the East Metro at Transfiguration in Oakdale as its 10th pastor.  I succeeded a man many of you know well — Fr. Bill Baer. May he rest in peace.    

I enjoy running, reading, good movies, and great meals with friends.  I truly am looking forward to being with you for as long as the Archbishop sees fit and for as long as Fr. Tollefson will have me.  I mean it when I say that I am most looking forward to just being a priest again.  

To be a pastor is hard, and I ask you to join me in praying for Fr. Tollefson.  I am eager to assist him as I can.  We actually traveled to Norway together back in 2014, a trip I still remember with great fondness.  I’m glad to serve with him.  St. Olav — pray for these two Norwegians!

May God bless you all, and thank you for the love and welcome I know I will receive from you.  Please pray for me that I can serve you as the Lord would have me do.  Nativity has a long and proud history, and I am very happy to be a part of it.  Even if I am a Marker…

In Christ,

Fr. Erickson