Sparta pastor to receive humanitarian award

Sparta - The Department for Persons with Disabilities, a Catholic Charities agency of the Diocese of Paterson, has announced that Rev. Msgr. Paul F. Knauer, pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Church in Sparta, has been named as their 2006 “Humanitarian of the Year” award recipient. Knauer was raised in Morris Plains and later lived in Flanders. He is one of five boys and two girls. A graduate of Bayley Ellard High School and Seton Hall University, he attended Immaculate Conception Seminary in Mahwah and was ordained in May 1964. Knauer began his career at Saint Vincent Martyr Church in Madison and also taught theology at Bayley Ellard High School. After three years, he was assigned to Saint Christopher Church in Parsippany, as well as a new teaching assignment at Morris Catholic High School, again, teaching theology. From 1969 through 1973, Knauer headed the Catholic Community Center in Paterson, until he was named pastor of Our Lady of Victories Church, also in Paterson. In 1985, he became pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Wayne, and served there until 1995, when he became the pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Church in Sparta. Knauer has been a member of the Social Ministry Office, served as a board member of the INCCA for Housing (Paterson), member of Paterson Media Coalition, Peace and Justice Commission, and Diocesan Presbyteral Council. He also served as dean of the Wayne deanery, as a board member of Sparta Ecumenical Housing, and he currently serves as dean of the Sussex Deanery. Tom Barrett, executive director of the Department for Persons with Disabilities, said, “We are truly blessed to have Monsignor Knauer as a friend. He has been a friend to this ministry for years and all of us are very thankful.” Knauer will be honored at the 32nd annual Wiegand Farm Golf Classic on Tuesday, June 20, at the Sky View Golf Club in Sparta. Anyone interested in participating can call 973-697-1230. Cost per golfer is $140, which includes cart, green fees, breakfast and a barbecue buffet luncheon following golf. The Department for Persons with Disabilities provides care to adults with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. It operates group homes and supervised apartments, vocational, spiritual, recreational and training programs throughout Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties. Sussex County facilities are located in Lake Hopatcong, Oak Ridge and Sparta. The organization headquarters is on Weldon Road in Oak Ridge, on the property known as “Wiegand Farm.”