Meet your new pastor, Fr. Bill Deziel

Hello to all the people of Annunciation Parish!

I’m looking forward to serving you as your pastor beginning in July. I know that these are difficult times with the virus and the shut down and all, and I have been praying for all of you as soon as I found out that I was being sent to serve you. 

A little background about myself; I grew up in West St. Paul -Yes, I’m a St. Paul boy, so I hope that works out now being in Minneapolis! My home parish was St. Michael’s in West St. Paul where I grew up across the street and went to the parish grade school along with my 11 siblings -I’m number 9 of 12. I attended Henry Sibley High School in Mendota Heights, then on to the University of Minnesota where I graduated with a degree in secondary education. I taught high school math in the Rio Grande Valley on the Texas/Mexican Border in McAllen before entering the seminary with the Crosier Order. My seminary days were at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Archbishop Flynn ordained me as a Crosier priest in 1997. I left the Crosiers and became a priest of the Archdiocese in 2005.

I have served at a number of different parishes over the years including as associate pastor at St. Stephen, Anoka and Pax Christi, Eden Prairie; and then as pastor at St. Rita, Cottage Grove; St. Peter, North St. Paul; and currently as pastor at both Guardian Angels, Chaska, and St. Nicholas, Carver. Whew! Yes, looking back, it has been kind of a whirlwind over the years! 

I enjoy bike riding, and I’m looking forward to experiencing the beautiful Minnehaha creek trail. In the summer I like to spend time up at the family cabin on Bone Lake, Wisconsin with my large family. I enjoy classic movies with popcorn, doing handy-man projects when needed, and strolling across the Stone Arch Bridge -it never gets old. My life consists mostly of simply serving God and trying my best to be faithful to what it is He is asking me to do each day. 

Because Annunciation does not have a rectory, I will be living next door at the rectory at Our Lady of Peace with their pastor Fr. Joah Ellis, and retired priest Fr. Jack Long. I’m looking forward to sharing priestly life with them, and to sharing parish life with all of you.

Until we meet in July, please know that you are all in my prayers, and I am looking forward to meeting all of you!

With Joy in Christ, 

Fr. Bill Deziel