Rev. Monsignor Van Allan Wagner, former Vicar General for the Diocese of Tucson, died April 27. He was 80. Born July 24, 1936, in Evanston, Ill., to Van A. and Helen R. (Kalmes) Wagner, he was baptized in St. Jerome Church, Chicago, and attended the parish school there until his family moved to Phoenix in 1943. He attended Catholic schools in Phoenix until entering minor seminary and subsequently St. John Seminary in Camarillo, Calif. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Tucson on April 25, 1961, by Bishop Francis J. Green in St. Agnes Church, Phoenix. He attended the University of Arizona and earned a master's in education in 1963. He served as an assistant or associate pastor at St. Anthony's, Casa Grande (1961-62); St. Joseph's, Tucson (1962-68, 1971-74); as co-pastor at St. Monica's, Tucson (1974-75); and pastor at St. Monica's (1975-82, 1983-92) and at Sts. Peter and Paul, Tucson, (1994-99). He was also administrator at St. Cyril's, Tucson (1974), and administrator pro-tem at Our Lady of the Valley, Green Valley, and Sts. Peter and Paul (1993). He also served as senior priest and parochial vicar at Sts. Peter and Paul, beginning in 2004. Besides parishes, he was the diocesan director of Vocations (1965-72), assistant superintendent of Schools and assistant director of religious education (1962-68), director of religious education (1965-68), Vicar General (1999-2006) and as Vicar for Priests (1980). He served on several committees including the Priests Personnel Board (1975-78), the Priests Assurance Association (1977-80) and the Presbyteral Council as vicar for the following terms: Pima West (1976), Pima South (1985-91). He retired in 2006 and moved to Phoenix in 2015.

While we are saddened by our loss, we take solace in the knowledge that Father Van is now with our Lord. As was said in the Chalice Ceremony,
WORTHY SIR KNIGHT UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN