Immaculate Conception Parish appoints administrator

Intermountain Catholic

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John Kucera (left) and Jim Wohlitz discuss Immaculate Conception Parish business and talk about the church's history, which goes back to 1890 when the original church was built and named Holy Rosary Parish.  IC photo/Christine Young

COPPERTON — Jim Wohlitz has accepted the position of administrator at Immaculate Conception Parish in Copperton. He began March 1, replacing John Kucera, who held the position from 2008.

"Both men were engineers before they retired and are wonderful," said Father Dennis Ruane, Immaculate Conception sacramental minister. "John did a marvelous job as the administrator. The administrator position is a demanding job and requires a lot of time. He is a very faithful man and is actually involved in the whole parish community."

The administrator position is responsible for the upkeep of the parish, the Mass collections, supplies and parish personnel, said Kucera. "The administrator position was a new experience for me," he said. "As administrator, I met most of the people in the parish; it was really a fulfilling job."

Kucera has also served the parish by being on the parish council and as an usher. He moved to Utah from Phoenix, Ariz. in 1973, and became a member of Blessed Sacrament Parish, then Saint Thomas More Parish before moving to the west side of the valley in 2000.

Kucera relied on his family for his Catholic faith because there weren’t Catholic schools where he grew up in Nebraska. He received his engineering degree from Nebraska State University.

The Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, addressed Kucera in a letter stating the diocese and he owe a great deal of gratitude to Kucera for all his support to Immaculate Conception Parish. "Your leadership and gentle spirit have been a great asset to the parish and to this local Church," the bishop wrote.

Now in the administrator position, Wohlitz will serve as the parish business and office manager. "We are a small parish with about 105 families, so we wear many hats," he said. "I make sure the bills are paid, keep track of the mail and the physical property of the church, and do basic office duties like answering the phone and checking emails. I serve as the parish contact person for the diocesan chancery office."

"Jim and his wife are involved in the parish community," Fr. Ruane said, adding that his wife, Barbara Wohlitz, is the choir director. "Jim has served as the parish council president and as a lectionary reader. He is also a Green Bay Packers fan."

Wohlitz became a Packers fan while attending Marquette College in Wisconsin, where he lived until moving to Utah in 1998 as a result of a job change. His faith was grounded in his parochial school education and in growing up in a faith-filled family.

At Immaculate Conception Parish, Wohlitz is also in the choir, helps plan the parish progressive dinners, is on the stewardship committee, is a minister of Holy Communion and was appointed a lay administrator of prayer for occasions when a priest is not available.