Philanthropic Leadership
Having dedicated over fifty-one years of service to the clergy, Richard H. Klingeisen is a highly experienced and compassionate individual, who has been able to contribute significantly to Catholic education, in addition to supporting and counselling families of those who are sick and or dying.
Fr. Klingeisen began his academic studies at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy. He currently is a senior priest in the Diocese of Green Bay. Presently, he provides pastoral services at an independent senior living apartment in Manitowoc, Wisconsin., and locally in other parishes. He also serves as a Chaplain for a Third Degree Knights of Columbus Council, a Fourth Degree Council, a Serra Vocations Club and is on the Board of a local food pantry.
Fr. Klingeisen attributes his successes to his innate desire to ‘build a civilization of love in the midst of a culture of death’. He believes supporting the families of those who are sick or dying manifests in a number of ways, from the more spiritual such as prayer to physical acts such as a visit or a phone call. Additionally, whether they are at home, in a long-term care facility or in a hospital setting, by embracing respect and love within palliative (comfort) care and working alongside nurses and physicians, Fr. Klingeisen firmly believes that dying can be made easier for both the patient and their families.
Recognizing the need for constant developing and learning, particularly in his specialized fields, the esteemed professional is an active member of the Catholic Medical Association, the St Gianna Molla Guild, the Local Guild of the Catholic Medical Association, and the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. Fr. Klingeisen continues to share an interest in helping to select volunteers from the Green Bay Diocese to go to St. Vincent Mission in David, Kentucky to provide service work for the people of Appalachia in Eastern Kentucky.
When not busy in ministry, Fr. Klingeisen has a varied and active lifestyle, including working on a dairy farm with his brother and partaking in golf. In the winter months, he enjoys relaxing by reading a good book.