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Monsignor Joe Bixenman To Celebrate Golden Jubilee
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June 1, 2022Amarillo—Monsignor Joe Bixenman will celebrate the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood with a 6:00pm Mass Friday, June 3 at St. Mary’s Cathedral.
Bishop Patrick J. Zurek and his brother priests will concelebrate with Monsignor Bixenman. A reception will follow in the Monsignor Francis A. Smyer Activity Center.
Monsignor Bixenman, 75, was born on July 17, 1946 in Fort Madison, Iowa, the son of Joe E. and Mary Ann Bixenman, Sr. The family move to Canadian in 1948 and two years later, to Amarillo, where Bixenman attended St. Mary’s School (now St. Mary’s Cathedral School) through third grade before attending St. Laurence School for grades four through six.
Bixenman attended Price College (now Holy Cross Catholic Academy) from grades seven through ten, then finished high school at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Oklahoma City, where he graduated in May 1964. He attended college at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Conception, Mo., where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree on May 16, 1968 and with a Master’s in Divinity on May 27, 1972.
Bixenman was ordained to the priesthood on June 9, 1972 by then-Bishop Lawrence M. DeFalco at St. Laurence Church, Amarillo. His first assignment was at St. Elizabeth’s Church, Lubbock, where he served as Associate Pastor until April 6, 1978. Prior to the establishment of the Diocese of Lubbock in 1983, Father Bixenman also served as St. John Neumann Church, Lubbock; San Jose Church, Lockney; and, St. Mary Magdalen Church, Floydada.
On March 18, 1983, Father Bixenman was appointed Pastor at San Jose Church, Hereford, where he would remain until June 30, 1991, when he was named Pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Church, Pampa. While in Pampa, he also served as Pastoral Administrator at Sacred Heart Church, Canadian and St. Mary’s Church, Wheeler, from July 1, 1993 to July 17, 1997.
Father Bixenman was named Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the Diocese of Amarillo on June 12, 1997, with the title of Very Reverend. He served in these posts until Aug. 6, 2003.
On Nov. 1, 1998, Father Bixenman was installed as a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Four months later, on March 17, 1999, he was named Pastoral Administrator for St. Anthony of Padua Church, Dalhart and St. Mary’s Church, Texline.
Shortly after his appointment to Dalhart and Texline, Father Bixenman was named a Prelate of Honor by Pope (now Saint) John Paul II on May 21. He was installed as a Monsignor during a Nov. 10, 1999 Mass at St. Laurence Cathedral (now St. Laurence Church).
On Feb. 22, 2001, Monsignor Bixenman was named Pastor at St. Mary’s Church (now St. Mary’s Cathedral), Amarillo. He would remain there until Aug. 6, 2003, when he was appointed Administrator of Immaculate Conception Church, Perryton and St. Peter’s Church, Booker. Monsignor Bixenman was appointed Pastor at Perryton and Booker on April 28, 2005.
The final assignment for Monsignor Bixenman would be a return to San Jose Church, Hereford, where he was appointed Pastor on Sept. 1, 2011, remaining there until he was granted retirement from active ministry on July 17, 2016, his 70th birthday. Since then, Monsignor Bixenman has provided weekend assistance at parishes throughout the diocese.
In addition to his many years of service as a priest in the diocese, Monsignor Bixenman has served in a number of other ministries, which include:
• Vocation Ministry. He was assigned to the Vocation Team in 1974 and was named Co-Vocation Director on Jan. 3, 1977 and served as Vocation Director from July 1, 1981 to May 19, 1983.
• Co-Director of the Integrated Ministry Preparation Program, a lay ministry training program, from July 1, 1980 to May 18, 1983.
• Defender of the Bond for the Marriage Tribunal, from Nov. 1, 1981 to Dec. 31, 1986.
• Director of the Charismatic Movement, from March 1, 1981 to May 18, 1983. He would also served as liaison of the Charismatic Movement on July 1, 1986.
• Spiritual Director on the team for the Cursillo Movement, a post he was appointed to on July 1, 1986.
• College of Consultors, which Monsignor Bixenman served as a member on three different occasions between July 1993 and Nov. 2009.
• Presbyteral Council, which Monsignor Bixenman served as a member from July 1, 1989 to June 30, 1996 and served as president from July 1, 1990 to June 30, 1996. He would serve a second term from 2009 to 2011.
• Catholic Chaplain, Rufe Jordan Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Pampa, from Nov. 6, 1992 to June 30, 1997.
• Member of the Board of Trustees of Catholic Family Service (now Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle) from Sept. 1997 to Aug. 6, 2003.
• Member of the Advisory Board of Holy Cross Catholic Academy, since Feb. 2018.
In a July 17, 2016 interview in The West Texas Catholic, Monsignor Bixenman talked about his active involvement with vocations in the Diocese of Amarillo and was asked his advice for any young man discerning a vocation as a priest:
“I was Vocation Director for many years when I was a young priest. I loved being able to talk about Vocations to the Priesthood. I guess it was a natural reflection of my love for the Priesthood. God is calling many to the Priesthood, especially in the Diocese of Amarillo but the culture in which we live often puts other worldly things before them and it is hard to listen to God’s call. I will always help young men to discern the Priesthood.
“I would say to that young man, to talk with a priest about the priesthood and God’s call. Don’t do it alone. We need a mentor or a spiritual director to guide us. Prayer is very important and we need to teach them better how to pray and listen. I have seen in the last several years the great young priests we have now and I am thankful to God for their vocations. I am proud to be a part of this Diocese of Amarillo.”
