Pastor Assignments Take Effect Aug. 3: Fr. Samuel Dinsdale

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Fr. Samuel Dinsdale

Fr. Samuel Dinsdale grew up in the Ogden area, where he attended St. Joseph Catholic Schools, then went to Utah State University, where he graduated with dual bachelor’s degrees in liberal arts and general business. He then entered St. Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park, Calif., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology and a master’s degree in divinity. He was ordained a priest on May 29, 2003 by the Most Rev. George H. Niederauer, eighth Bishop of Salt Lake City.

Fr. Dinsdale has served at several parishes in the diocese: St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Midvale, St. John Bosco in Delta and its missions, St. Mary of the Assumption in Park City, St. Patrick in Salt Lake City, St. Marguerite in Tooele and most recently at Blessed Sacrament in Sandy. He also served a three-year term on the advisory board for this newspaper, and two terms as chairman of the diocesan liturgical commission. On Aug. 3 he will begin his new assignment as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish & School.

What would you like your new parishioners to know about you?

I prefer to be called Fr. Sam. I have lived or been connected to Utah since I was 5 years old. I entered seminary at the age of 23 in Menlo Park, Calif. at St. Patrick School of Theology. I was ordained for the Diocese of Salt Lake City at the age of 29. I’ve been a priest for 19 years. St. Vincent will be my sixth parish and my fourth parish as pastor.

My last assignment at Blessed Sacrament was challenging in the sense that the latter portion of my assignment was taken up by COVID. We as a parish figured out how to be Church during the great pandemic. We followed the ever-changing proscriptions and did our best to continue to serve those who wanted to still be connected to the Church.  

What are you looking forward to most about your new assignment?

I am encouraged by the many good and conscientious parishioners with whom I have had the privilege of meeting and ministering within the parishes, hospitals, convalescent centers, prison and jails where I have served. I look forward to ministering with the very able and good staff of St. Vincent who have a great sense of service and their own vocation. Fr. Norman became the principal of St. Joseph High while I was a sophomore there. I am honored to follow him as the next pastor of St. Vincent. I am looking forward to sharing a rectory with Msgr. Mannion. The last time I lived with another priest was when I was assigned at St. Mary of the Assumption in Park City as parochial vicar for two years and I roomed with Msgr. Bob Bussen, Fr. Jim Flynn and Bennie the hound.  

As a priest, what has been your greatest challenge?

For me, there is no most challenging experience, because all of the assignments have been challenging in different ways. When I am attempting to do ministry in Spanish, I struggle to understand and to be understood. When I have been a pastor in a parish with a school, there is the perpetual struggle to pay the bills, to bring up enrollment, and to keep the school open. When I am doing ministry to the people in my parishes, there is the great difficulty of reaching them and ministering to them appropriately because most (more than 70 percent) no longer regularly attend the celebration of Eucharist nor are connected to the Catholic community. There is the great challenge of being understood, because most now interpret issues from either a liberal or conservative perspective. It is impossible to understand Church teaching with this right/left way of looking at the world. If you talk about the poor or stewardship of the earth, then you are perceived as a lefty. If you talk about abortion and the sacredness of life, then you are perceived as a rigid conservative. People are confused when the Church does not align with a political party or ideology.

As a priest, what has been your most satisfying experience?

My most satisfying experience is to celebrate our liturgical year, especially on the more quiet days. I love celebrating the Eucharist with those who love the liturgy and want to actively participate in it.