January 20, 1938 – October 23, 2024
Mass of Christian Burial for Rev. Monsignor John A. Richter of Sleepy Eye, MN will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 31, 2024, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye. Visitation will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service at 7 p.m. The 4th Degree Knights of Columbus will have an Honor Guard at the visitation and will lead the Rosary at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, which everyone is invited to attend and pray for Monsignor John. Visitation will continue on Thursday, October 31, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye with the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus Honor Guard present. Interment at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Bird Island, MN will follow the funeral luncheon. The service will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/stmarysleepyeye. Arrangements are with Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.
John Andrew Richter was born on January 20, 1938, in Bird Island, to William and Clara (Majeski) Richter. He grew up in Bird Island and after the 8th grade, he attended Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary and St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul MN. John obtained his Baccalaureate Degree in history from the St. Paul Seminary. He was ordained into the Priesthood on February 22, 1964, at the Church of St. Mary in Bird Island by Bishop Alphonse J. Schladweiler. Following his ordination, Msgr. Richter went on to serve the parish communities of New Ulm (Cathedral of the Holy Trinity with teaching duties at Cathedral High School), Hutchinson, Montevideo, Madison, Canby, Sleepy Eye (while also serving as superintendent of St. Mary’s Catholic School and chaplain of Divine Providence Community Home in Sleepy Eye), Wabasso, Seaforth, Lucan, Wanda, and Searles. He served as rector of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm from 2002 to 2015, at which time he became senior associate pastor at the Cathedral and also assisted in the Holy Cross Area Faith Community (New Ulm, Searles, Lafayette, West Newton Township). He also served as diocesan director of Vocations and the Bishop’s Liaison to the Charismatic Renewal and on various diocesan committees.
On September 14, 2005, Msgr. Richter was named Chaplain to His Holiness with the title of “Monsignor” by Pope Benedict XVI.
In 1998, he received the Diocesan Distinguished Service Medal from the second bishop of New Ulm Bishop Raymond A. Lucker in recognition of his “faithful ministry and effective educational leadership,” and on May 23, 2019, he was inducted into the Knights of Columbus Hall of Fame.
Following retirement from active ministry in 2017, Msgr. Richter served as chaplain to the Divine Providence Community Home/Lake Villa Maria in Sleepy Eye. He was a beloved priest who will be remembered for his service to God and his parishioners that brought him great joy.
Monsignor Richter died on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, under hospice care at Divine Providence Community Home in Sleepy Eye, MN. He is survived by his siblings, Patricia O’Connor of Sioux Falls, SD, Germaine Schaeffer of St. Paul, MN and Kathleen Neubauer of Hastings, NE; sister-in-law, Kay Richter of Champion, MN; and brother-in-law, Jack Davidson of Clive, IA; and forty-six nieces and nephews and their families.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Clara; siblings and their spouses, Margaret (Hubert) Schneider, Helen (Martin) Schulte, William (Dory) Richter, Barbara (Richard) Baumann, Aggie Davidson, Charles Richter, Bill O’Connor, Jim Schaeffer and Don Neubauer.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Divine Providence Community Home or St. Benedict Monastery Shrine in Sivagangai, India.