Still Serving

Why Retired Clergy Matter More Than Ever in the Diocese of Wisconsin

DID YOU KNOW?
We have more than 90 retired clergy across our state!

In the Diocese of Wisconsin, the term "retired" can be misleading. It suggests a finish line, a stepping away. But for many of our priests, deacons, and their spouses, retirement marks not an ending—rather, a rewiring of how vocation is lived.

Across the Diocese, retired clergy continue to serve in faithful and essential ways. They celebrate the Eucharist as supply clergy, step in as priests-in-charge for small congregations, offer pastoral care, preach, teach, lead outreach ministries, and walk alongside communities navigating change. In a season when many churches face financial strain and shifting membership, this service is not peripheral—it is vital. Without the ongoing ministry of retired clergy and spouses, there would be fewer open churches and less ministry happening across Wisconsin.

Retirement does not dissolve ordination vows. It does not cancel a call. It simply changes the shape of the work.

In fact, retired clergy and spouses make ministry possible in places where budgets are tight and options are limited. Much of this work is offered for little or no compensation, saving the Diocese many thousands of dollars each year while ensuring congregations continue to gather, pray, and serve their neighbors. This is faithful stewardship lived out in real time—rooted not in obligation, but in love for God and God’s people.

Retired clergy also carry something less measurable but equally important: wisdom. Years of experience in parish life, crisis ministry, and community leadership equip them to serve with steadiness and perspective. They know how to listen. They know how to adapt. And they know that ministry is rarely about being flashy—it’s about showing up.

It’s worth naming what retirement is not. It is not inactivity. It is not irrelevant. And it is certainly not invisibility. The retired clergy of this Diocese remain deeply engaged in the work of the Gospel—still responding to needs, still building up the Church, still saying yes when called.

Their service is supported and strengthened through the local parishes and through diocesan structures, including chaplaincy relationships and connection with the Church Pension Group, ensuring that care extends not only to congregations but to those who have spent a lifetime caring for others. This shared responsibility reflects a Diocese that understands ministry as something we sustain together.

At a time of transition in the wider Church, retired clergy and spouses offer a steady reminder: God’s call is not constrained by job titles or timelines. Ministry does not retire. It adapts.

As we look toward the future of the Church in Wisconsin, may we continue to recognize, value, and give thanks for the retired clergy and spouses whose faithful presence keeps the light on in so many places. Their work matters. Their vocation endures. And their continued service is one of the quiet strengths of this Diocese, supported and affirmed by diocesan leadership, including Matt Gunter, and by congregations who benefit every day from their yes.

Retired may describe a pension status—but it does not define the heart of a calling.

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What is the Ministry for Retired Clergy and Spouses?
The Ministry for Retired Clergy and Spouses exists to support this continuing vocation—offering fellowship, shared prayer, practical guidance around Church Pension Group (CPG) benefits, and deep appreciation for the many ways retired clergy and spouses remain engaged in ministry. Across the diocese, approximately 90 retired clergy are supported through a regional chaplaincy system that reflects both pastoral care and collegial connection.

Each of the five regions of the Diocese has a chaplain responsible for the care and connection of retired clergy in that area. The seven chaplains (including two couples) are appointed by Bishop Matt Gunter and also serve as liaisons with the Church Pension Group, ensuring both pastoral support and practical advocacy. Together, they help weave retired clergy fully into the ongoing life and mission of the diocese.

By region, the retired clergy chaplains are:
Eastern Ridges: Fr. John and Kathy Peterson
Kettle Moraine: Fr. Pete Irvine
Northwoods: Dcn. Steve Russell
Driftless: Mthr. Kathleen Charles
Lakeshore: Fr. Jim and Rev. Mary Trainor (Lead)

Their ministry is a reminder that vocation does not retire—it deepens, adapts, and continues to bless the Church in ways both seen and unseen.