During a Jan.24 luncheon, the community of St. Ann, Lawrenceville, feted their longtime weekend assistant, Msgr. Casimir H. Ladzinski, who retired after serving many years as the parish’s weekend assistant.
The celebration actually marked Monsignor Ladzinski’s second retirement; his first was from active diocesan ministry in 2012.
Along with Father Leandro Dela Cruz, pastor, and the parishioners, a number of priests with whom Msgr. Ladzinski had served with during his 64 years of priesthood were present including Msgr. Vincent Gartland, Msgr. Walter Nolan, both of whom are retired, and Father Scott Shaffer, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Toms River.
Born in 1937, Msgr. Ladzinski prepared for the priesthood in St. Charles College Seminary, Catonsville, Md.; St. Mary Seminary and University, Baltimore, and Sts. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, Orchard Lake, Mich. He was ordained a priest May 26, 1962 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton, by Bishop George W. Ahr.
As parochial vicar he was assigned to Holy Trinity, Helmetta; Sacred Heart, South Amboy; St. Justin the Martyr, Toms River; Holy Innocents, Neptune; St. Stephen, Perth Amboy, and Blessed Sacrament, Trenton. He was pastor in St. Joseph, Toms River; St. Aloysius, Jackson; St. Rose, Belmar, and Sacred Heart, Bay Head.
His diocesan assignments included serving as vicar general; director of priest personnel; episcopal vicar of Ocean and Burlington Counties; president of the diocesan council of priests; seminarian recruitment board of vocations. He was named a Prelate of Honor to his Holiness in December 1983 and was invested in March, 1984.
Msgr. Ladzinski retired from active ministry in 2012 and has since resided in Villa Vianney, the diocesan facility for retired priests in Lawrenceville and served primarily in St. Ann Parish with the celebration of Mass and the Sacraments.