Deceased: 2006-03-29
Diocese: WINONA
Msgr. Francis William (“Father Frank”) Klein passed away Wednesday, March 29, 2006, at the age of 85 years.
Msgr Klein was born on May 19, 1920, in Adrian, MN to Frank and Elizabeth (Kellen) Klein into a family of nine children. He was educated at St. Adrian’s elementary and high schools by the Sisters of St. Francis. He attended St. Mary’s Seminary, Winona, MN. and St. Thomas Seminary, Denver, CO. He was ordained in Adrian, MN by the Most Rev. Leo Binz on December 2, 1945, celebrating his first Mass on Dec. 9, 1945.
Msgr. Klein studied canon law for the Diocese of Winona at Catholic University, Washington, DC, earning a bachelor’s degree. He then earned an advanced degree in canon law at Lateran University in Rome, Italy.
For the next 50 years, Msgr. Klein served in the Tribunal of the Diocese of Winona. During that time, he served as Judicial Vicar, Vice-Chancellor (August 3, 1952), and was named a Monsignor on August 15, 1953.
Msgr. Klein served as pastor in the following Minnesota parishes: Sacred Heart, Heron Lake, MN (1959); St. Wenceslaus (now Good Shepherd), Jackson, MN (1962); Dean of the Worthington deanery; co-pastor of Crucifixion parish, La Crescent, MN (1970); St. Augustine, Austin, MN (1972); Holy Trinity, Rollingstone/Immaculate Conception, Oak Ridge, MN (1975); St. Joseph’s, Rushford/St. Mary’ss, Houston, MN (1982); St. John, Winona (1983); and St. Anthony, Altura/St. Aloysius, Elba (1988).
In 1988, Msgr. was appointed to the Regional Marriage Tribunal for the St. Paul-Minneapolis province, serving dioceses in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Upon retirement (1990), Msgr. continued to serve as appellate judge for the Regional Tribunal of St. Paul-Minneapolis until his retirement from the Tribunal in 2000.
Msgr. Klein was a faithful priest for 61 years and continued to preside at daily Mass in his final years for the residents of Callista Court, Winona, MN where he lived. He was proud of the publication of two books, to which he referred as “The Klein Book” and “The Kellen Book”-each of which traced the historical roots of his father’s and mother’s families to the 1400s in Luxembourg.
There was a viewing on Saturday, April 1, 2006, at Holy Trinity Church in Rollingstone, MN, followed by a Memorial Mass. Msgr. Klein was brought home to Adrian, MN; and on Sunday, April 2, there was a viewing and vigil service at Dingmann Funeral Home, Adrian, MN. The Diocesan Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Adrian’s Church, Monday morning, April 3, 2006, with Bishop Bernard Harrington as main celebrant. Burial was in the St. Adrian parish cemetery.
