In the 25 years since Father Keith Weber, chaplain of St. Isidore’s, was ordained, he has said hundreds of thousands of Masses, countless baptisms, and by his estimate, more than 1,000 weddings. And he has no plans to slow down.

A Salina, Kan., native, Father Keith was ordained on April 23, 1983, after five years at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis. He served in several parishes in Salina, Junction City and Manhattan before coming to St. Isidore’s, a post he has held for more than ten years, serving in a position he calls his dream job.

“As a K-State graduate, I wanted very much to come back to St. Isidore’s,” he said. “But, after serving in parishes, I knew I would be happy to stay in parish work.” Now, however, Father Keith knows that ministering to college students was truly his calling. “Being able to watch students grow in their relationship with God is really the best part about being at St. Isidore’s.”

Father Keith graduated from K-State in 1977 with a degree in accounting, and it was during his time at K-State that he felt he might be called to enter the seminary. He worked for one year at an accounting firm – one tax season, he jokes – before entering the seminary.

Father Keith celebrated his anniversary with a Mass and reception on Saturday, April 26. Father Keith said he finds it hard to believe that it has been 25 years, especially since he says he just turned 29 on his last birthday.

“When I was in the seminary, there were priests celebrating their 25th anniversary, and I thought that was a long time,” he said. “Now, it doesn’t seem like any time at all.”

For the priest who has had such a big influence on the lives of so many students and parishoners, it was the encouragement of those closest to him that made him even consider life as a priest. “My parents were the biggest influence in my life,” he said. “Their support and encouragement, and the way they lived their faith in their daily lives had a huge impact on me.” His family remains close to him, as well. Father Keith enjoys traveling and takes an annual vacation with his parents – a tradition that began the year he was ordained. His favorite place he’s traveled is not surprising to those who know him – Germany. “It’s a beautiful place, and the churches are gorgeous,” he said. “The people are friendly, it is very clean, and of course, it is a special place because that’s where my ancestors came from.”

In addition to his family, Father Keith said he was given a lot of support from some very influential priests growing up. “The priest who had the biggest influence on my decision to go to the seminary was Monsignor Hake,” he said, a priest who served as the master of ceremonies for the bishop at Father Keith’s home parish, Sacred Heart Cathedral in Salina. “He trained us as servers, and we all had a lot of respect for him.” There was also the example of his uncle, Monsignor George Weber, who was serving in Omaha, Neb. “Even though I didn’t know him that well, because he worked on the national level, he had a huge impact on me.”

Father Keith himself has been an inspiration for many young men to consider the priesthood. During his time at St. Isidore’s, he said, about one to three men have gone to the seminary each year. He said he enjoys discussing the various aspects of the priesthood with the young men. “I’ve enjoyed hosting a vocation discussion dinner about three times a semester,” he said. “In the past, I’ve also taken spring break trips to take men to see the seminary.” In addition to his work at St. Isidore’s, Father Keith has served the past three years as the co-vocations director for the Salina Diocese.

After being ordained, Father Keith served as pastor or assistant pastor at St. Mary’s in Salina, St. Xavier in Junction City and Seven Dolors in Manhattan. He has served twice at St. Isidore’s, first from July 1991-July 1995, and has now been at St. Isidore’s since July 1997.