Retired Msgr. Van A. Wagner of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson dies

Retired Monsignor Van A. Wagner, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson, died April 27. He was 80.

Wagner, a native of Evanston, Illinois, was ordained a diocesan priest on April 25, 1961, by the late Bishop Francis J. Green. Wagner served in six parishes and held numerous diocesan leadership positions, said Steffannie Koeneman, a diocesan spokeswoman.

He attended the University of Arizona and received a master’s in education in 1963.

“Monsignor Wagner was a priest’s priest,” said Monsignor Jeremiah McCarthy, vicar general and moderator of the curia. “He was faithful, humble and always a gentleman. He saw the good in every person,” said McCarthy, in a diocesan release.

Monsignor Thomas Millane remembered Wagner as “a stellar, intelligent guy. He worked hard all the time and never asked for any favors.”

Mike Marum, who knew Wagner from Ss. Peter and Paul, described Wagner as “a tremendous asset to Bishop (Manuel) Moreno when the diocese was going through bankruptcy proceedings,” officials said.

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Marum also recalled how Wagner accompanied Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas to parishes during Kicanas’ first pastoral visits and shared history with him. “Those were like memory dumps, giving the bishop a very good start,” said Marum, in the release.

Wagner served at St. Anthony’s in Casa Grande as assistant and associate pastor. He served in Tucson at St. Joseph’s, and as pastor at St. Monica’s and Ss. Peter and Paul. He also served as parochial vicar at Ss. Peter and Paul.

Wagner was an administrator at St. Cyril’s and at Our Lady of the Valley in Green Valley.

In addition to the parishes, he was diocesan director of vocations, assistant superintendent of schools, assistant director and then director of religious education, vicar general and vicar for priests.

He served on several committees, including the priests personnel board, the priests assurance association and the presbyteral council as vicar for Pima West and Pima South.

Wagner retired in 2006 and moved to Phoenix. During his retirement, Wagner was a chaplain for the Holland America cruise line. He was an official crew member and had a state room next to the ship’s captain, said Marum.

A visitation, with the reciting of the rosary, is Friday, May 5, from noon to 2 p.m. at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 1946 E. Lee St. A funeral Mass will follow at the church with burial at Holy Hope Cemetery, 3555 N. Oracle Road.