Fr. Vogt passes away on Good Friday

By Robert DeFrancesco
The Catholic Sun

CAREFREE — Hundreds of friends, family and fellow clergy gathered to celebrate the life of Fr. John Vogt on April 19 at Our Lady of Joy Parish. He passed into eternal life after battling an extended illness on Good Friday, April 14.

Fr. Vogt, 69, was buried at Holy Redeemer Cemetery.

Fr. David Kelash, pastor at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Cottonwood, served with Fr. Vogt at St. Anthony Padua Parish in Wickenburg. Sharing with the congregation some of his fondest memories of the late priest, Fr. Kelash recalled his great love for the Mass and sacraments and how he “lived the Word” of the Gospel. Throughout his ministry, Fr. Vogt “was Christ to others.”

“In each of his assignments, he loved his people, he loved his ministry. The people that he served became his family,” he said.

“Fr. John will be greatly missed by his brother priests, by his family and by the family he made at every parish he was at,” he added. “Fr. John truly knew the love of God in his ministry. He was a faithful priest and a loving friend.”

Ordained a priest June 2, 1962, for the Diocese of Belleville, Ill., Fr. Vogt served as an associate pastor in several parishes as well as the chaplain for St. Mary’s Hospital. He was the pastor of Immaculate Conception and St. Leo’s parishes.

In 1975, Fr. Vogt moved to Arizona and eventually became a priest of the Diocese of Phoenix. Initial assignments were as an associate pastor first at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Glendale and then at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral. At the cathedral he served as Catholic chaplain for Baptist Hospital and spiritual director for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. In 1980, Fr. Vogt became the pastor of Our Lady of Joy in Carefree and was active in ecumenical work during his tenure.

In 1994 Fr. Vogt became the founding pastor of St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish in Scottsdale. In 1995 he was appointed pastor of St. Anthony Padua Parish in Wickenburg and retired from there in 2003. Very active in his retirement, Fr. Vogt became the administrator pro-tem of Our Lady of Joy from January to June of 2005.

He is survived by sisters Carolyn Vogt, Betty Vogt, and Marge Morris, brother-in-law Leland Lohmann, and sister-in-law Carolyn, as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

There are plans to establish a burse in Fr. Vogt’s name. Donations to that burse will be accepted and placed in a perpetual fund through the Catholic Community Foundation.

The diocesan Vocations Office and the Vicar of Priests will share the burses’ annual earnings and pay for the education of seminarians and the ongoing education and formation of priests.