LINCOLN (SNR) - Msgr. Ivan Vap, a retired priest of the Diocese of Lincoln, died Dec. 14.
He was 94 and the longest-ordained priest of the diocese. He was the last surviving member of the first faculty of Pius X High School in Lincoln, which opened in 1956. He was also the last priest ordained by Bishop Louis B. Kucera, 68 years ago.
Bishop James Conley called Msgr. Vap a real “workingman’s” priest.
“His fingerprints are all over this diocese, in parishes and schools and diocesan buildings,” the bishop said. “He never hesitated to roll up his sleeves to fix a leak, to a repair a broken pew, or to oversee in a ‘hands-on’ way, a new construction project in the parish or school.”
The bishop said Msgr. Vap was a skilled craftsman in wood, construction projects and electronics. “He was never afraid of work. But more importantly, he labored for the salvation of souls to build up the Body of Christ, a true pastor of souls.”
Deb Bixby agreed. She was secretary of St. Joseph Parish in Geneva while Msgr. Vap was pastor there for eight years.
“He felt a pastor should be a servant at his assigned parish,” Bixby said. “He came to serve others, not to be served, and the most special way he accomplished that was through the loving sacrifice of the Mass, including insightful, concise, well-planned and well-delivered homilies.”
Ordained in 1954, Father Vap first served as assistant pastor in Fairbury.
Father Vap was appointed pastor of St. Mary Parish in Davey while he organized and oversaw the construction of Bishop Neumann High School in Wahoo in 1963-64, and served as the school’s first superintendent.
He went on to serve as superintendent of Pius X High School for 17 years, from 1964 to 1981. For nine of those years, he was also pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Lincoln.
He then was named pastor of Sacred Heart Parish Shelby in 1981. In 1982 he was appointed pastor of St. Cecilia Parish in Hastings and dean of the Hastings Deanery.
In 1986, Msgr. Vap became the second rector of the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln, a pastorate he held until 1996. He was invested as an Honorary Prelate of his Holiness Pope John Paul II with the title of monsignor in 1991.
In 1996, he was appointed pastor of St. Mary Parish in Shickley and St. Joseph Parish in Geneva and dean of the York Deanery. During this time he oversaw the construction of the new St. Joseph Church in Geneva. He served in many other capacities in the local Church, including as a member of the Diocesan Building Commission and as State Chaplain for the Nebraska Knights of Columbus.
He retired from the active ministry in 2004 and for many years substituted in many parishes in southern Nebraska. At the time of his death, he resided at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln.
He is survived by a sister, Pat Manning and nieces and nephews.
His Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ in Lincoln Dec. 19 by Bishop James Conley, Bishop Emeritus Fabian Bruskewitz and priests of the Diocese of Lincoln. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery Lincoln. Butherus, Maser & Love Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
