Rev. Edward M. Lohse, J.C.L., of the Diocese of Erie will receive an honorary degree and serve as commencement speaker at Saint Vincent Seminary’s annual commencement, to be held on Friday, May 7, 2010, at 5 p.m. in the Archabbey Basilica.
Father Lohse is the chancellor and vocation director for the Diocese of Erie. The son of Edward L. and Ida E. Lohse of McKean, Pa., he is a graduate of Cathedral Preparatory School, Erie. Fr. Lohse earned a bachelor of arts degree in history, summa cum laude, from Gannon University, Erie, in 1984; a master of divinity degree from Saint Vincent Seminary, with highest honors, in 1987; and a license in canon law, summa cum laude, from The Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, in 2002. He also pursued additional studies at Gannon University in secondary education.
Father Lohse was ordained to the diaconate on October 22, 1988 at Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish in Corry, Pa. and to the priesthood on April 21, 1989 at Saint Peter Cathedral in Erie. He served at Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish from 1987 to 1990, as a seminarian, deacon and parochial vicar. From 1990 to 1995, Father Lohse was a faculty member and campus minister at Central Christian Junior-Senior High School, DuBois, where he taught theology, Latin and German. During the same time period, he served as a weekend assistant at Immaculate Conception Parish, Brookville. He also served on the adjunct faculty of Gannon University at DuBois in 1993. From 1994 to 1999, Father Lohse was vice chairman of the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Erie, and from 1995 to 2000 he served as vocation director for the diocese. In 1997, he received the additional assignment of acting university chaplain at Gannon University, serving in that capacity until 1999. Following his studies in Rome, from 2000 to 2002, Father Lohse was appointed assistant chancellor of the Diocese of Erie until 2002, when he was named vice chancellor and vocation director. In 2007, he was named chancellor for the Diocese, while continuing to hold the role of vocation director.
Father Lohse is a member of the Saint Vincent Seminary Board of Regents, National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors, the Canon Law Society of America and was the Bishop’s Delegate to Cathedral Preparatory School Academic Excellence Foundation in Erie. He received the Msgr. James F. Murphy Award for Excellence in Philosophy while a student at Gannon University, and the Diakonia Award while a student at Saint Vincent Seminary.
