Father Mark William Willenbring, 92, died Aug. 3, at St. Benedict’s Center in St. Cloud. The Mass of Christian Burial for Father Willenbring will be at 11 a.m., Monday, Aug. 12, at St. Joseph Church in Pierz, with Bishop Patrick Neary, C.S.C., presiding. Reception of the body, followed by a vigil service, is at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in St. Cloud, with visitation continuing until 4 p.m. Visitation will resume at St. Joseph Church in Pierz on Monday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the Mass. A lunch will follow the Mass. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Pierz.
Born Oct. 13, 1931, in Farming, to Charles and Ann (Brinkman) Willenbring, he attended St. Joseph’s Elementary School in Pierz, Little Falls High School in Little Falls, Saint John’s Preparatory School and Saint John’s University, both in Collegeville. He received his seminary training at Saint John’s Seminary in Collegeville. Father Willenbring was ordained June 1, 1957, at St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Cloud, by Bishop Peter Bartholome. He celebrated his first Mass June 2, 1957, at St. Joseph Church in Pierz.
Father Willenbring served in the following pastoral assignments: associate pastor, St. Paul, St. Cloud; St. Mary’s Cathedral; pastor, St. Anthony, St. Cloud; St. Mary’s Cathedral; St. Gall, Tintah, and St. Joseph, Foxhome; Holy Cross, Pearl Lake, and St. Nicholas, St. Nicholas; St. Edward, Princeton; St. Joseph, Grey Eagle, and St. John the Baptist, Swanville; parochial vicar, St. Stanislaus Kostka, Bowlus, St. Edward, Elmdale, St. Mary and St. Hedwig, Holdingford, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Opole, Immaculate Conception, St. Anna, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Francis, St. Columbkille, St. Wendel, and St. Mary, Upsala; canonical administrator, St. Mary of Mount Carmel, Long Prairie. He retired from active ministry in July 2014.
Father Willenbring was a missionary priest in the Diocese of Maracay, Venezuela, at three different times. He was vice rector and rector of Saint John’s Seminary. He served on the College of Consultors, Clerical Aid Association, and as Dean of the St. Cloud Deanery for the Diocese of St. Cloud. Father Willenbring was also active with Worldwide Marriage Encounter. He was a priest of the St. Cloud Diocese for 67 years.
He is survived by his sister, Benedictine Sister Joyce Willenbring. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Mary Ann and Julia, and brothers, Gordon and Theodore.