Four diocesan priests who served or who are serving in the Sioux Falls diocese are celebrating their anniversaries of ordination to the priesthood this year.

60th Anniversary

Father Pius Mardian
a native of Bowdle, was born in 1918.
His home parish was St. Augustine, Bowdle.
He attended rural school for elementary grades and high school and attended St. John College Preparatory School and St. John University, Collegeville, MN, before transferring to St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, MN, where he studied for the priesthood.
After being ordained on December 17, 1944 in Sioux Falls, Father Mardian first served as an assistant pastor at St. Mary Parish, Aberdeen.
His priestly service in the diocese also included parish work in Hecla, Westport, Columbia, Hillsview, Platte, Waubay, Mobridge, Salem, Vermillion, White Lake, Kimball and Colman.
Father Mardian took pastoral leave for three months in 1982 to serve a mission in Mexico.
Father Mardian retired from parish service in 1993 but continued to serve the diocese as chaplain of Prince of Peace Retirement residence from 1993-1995.
Father Mardian continues to reside at Prince of Peace and spends time writing.

Father Thomas McPhillips
was born October 5, 1914 in Mobile, Alabama.
He was ordained at St. Joseph Cathedral on December 17, 1944, a classmate of Father Pius Mardian.
Father McPhillips began his service in the diocese as an assistant pastor at Holy Family Parish, Mitchell.
He also served as administrator of St. James Church, Chamberlain.
Father McPhillips was the founding pastor of Holy Spirit Parish, Mitchell.
He also served in Huron and Elkton before retiring from active parish service in 1990.
Father McPhillips continues to serve as chaplain of the Avera Brady Home, Mitchell.

25th Anniversary

Father Darrell Lamberty
was born in Dell Rapids in 1944.
He was ordained by Bishop Paul V. Dudley on February 22, 1979 at St. Mary Church, Dell Rapids, his home parish.
Father Lamberty initially served as an associate at St. Mary Parish, Aberdeen.
Between 1982 and 1985, he was the chaplain at the Aquinas Student Center, Aberdeen.
Following that assignment, he served as an associate and a pastor in Mitchell at Holy Family Parish.
He also was responsible for ministering to the people of St. Scholastica Parish, Letcher, until it was closed in 1992.
Father Lamberty took a six-month sabbatical to study at the University of Notre Dame in 1992.
He has also served as pastor of parishes in Pierre, Ramona, Arlington and Oldham.
Father Lamberty was just assigned, as of July 1, to the position of pastor at Christ the King Parish, Webster and Immaculate Conception Parish, Waubay.

Father Gary Ternes
is a native of Britton where he was born October 26, 1951.
He studied for the priesthood at St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, MN.
Bishop Paul V. Dudley ordained him on June 8, 1979 at St. Joseph Cathedral, Sioux Falls.
Father Ternes began his priestly service as an associate for Sacred Heart Parish, Yankton.
He also served as an associate at Sacred Heart Parish, Aberdeen.
In 1984, Father Ternes was given a pastoral assignment at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Leola.
He also served as pastor for St. John Parish, Lesterville and St. Joseph the Workman Parish, Huntimer.
Father Ternes has also spent time in graduate studies at Catholic University, Washington, DC. He took a three-month sabbatical in Rome in 1994.
Father Ternes also served as associate pastor of St. Mary Parish, Sioux Falls.
Father Ternes has also served the diocese as the vice chancellor and as a chaplain at the Human Services Center, at Avera McKennan Hospital and currently at the South Dakota State Penitentiary.