Father John Peter Miller

Father John P. Miller, age 76 of Sartell, MN, passed away today, Wednesday, October 22, 2008 in Little Falls, Greene Prairie Township, Morrison County, MN. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, October 27, 2008 at 11:30 A.M. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Little Falls, with Bishop John Kinney officiating. Interment will be in St. Mary's Cemetery in Little Falls. Visitation will be held from 4:00-8:00 P.M. Sunday and from 9:00 A.M. until the hour of service Monday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Little Falls. Vigil Service will be held Sunday evening at 7:00 P.M. at the church. Father John P. Miller was born April 13, 1932, in Little Falls, Morrison County, MN to the late Andrew and Mathilda (Kroll) Miller. As a young boy, he attended Sacred Heart Parish and St. Aloysius School in Little Falls. From 1946 to 1952, he took his preparatory & college studies at Crosier Seminary and his Seminary Studies at St. John's School of Theology in Collegeville, MN. Father John was ordained by Bishop Bartholome, June 7, 1958. He said his First Solemn Mass at his home parish, St. Mary's Church in Little Falls on June 8, 1958. Father John was appointed assistant pastor of St. John Cantius Church in St. Cloud, MN on June 22, 1958, and in 1961, assistant pastor at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sauk Rapids, MN. Father John served the following parishes: Appointed First Resident Pastor , June 14, 1964, to St. Leonard's Church in Pelican Rapids, MN and during his years there, he built the parish rectory, June 24, 1970, St. Olaf's Catholic Church in Elbow Lake, MN, as well as, appointed the Vocation Director for the St. Cloud Diocese, June 27, 1973 appointed to St. Hedwig's Catholic Church in Holdingford, MN, June 6, 1977, he began serving as full time Vocation Director once again for the St. Cloud Diocese, March 12, 1980, Diocesan Director Society for the Propagation of the Faith, January 22, 1982, he was appointed to the Diocesan Finance Council serving a five year term, October 6, 1988, to pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Little Falls and on July 6, 1994, to St. Stephen's Catholic Church in St. Stephen, MN. Father John retired on July 1, 2002. He served as Chaplain of the Serra Club in St. Cloud. The last several years he enjoyed wintering in Laguna Vista, TX and summers at his home in Sartell, MN. He enjoyed golfing, hunting and fishing. Father John is survived by sisters and brother, Mary Gerding & husband, Vern, of Plymouth, MN, Dr. Robert (Bob) P. Miller & wife, Gwen, of Little Falls, MN and Jane Gillingham & husband, Gary, of Prior Lake, MN; many nieces & nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Eddie & Francis Miller.