Father Clifford Vogelsang had ‘pastoral spirit’ in leading parishes
By Sean Gallagher
Father Clifford Vogelsang, a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, died on May 7 at the Marquette Manor retirement community in Indianapolis. He was 89.
The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on May 14 at St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Indianapolis. Archbishop Charles C. Thompson was the principal celebrant of the liturgy. Retired Father James Bonke was the homilist. Burial will follow at a later date in the priests’ garden at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery in Indianapolis.
After being ordained a priest in 1963, Father Vogelsang served for six years on the faculty of the Latin School of Indianapolis, the archdiocese’s former high school seminary. From 1969 until his retirement in 2007, he led parishes across central and southern Indiana.
In a 2013 interview with The Criterion on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his ordination, Father Vogelsang reflected on the challenges of being ordained just before the start of the Second Vatican Council.
In the years that followed, he said it was his lifelong love of learning and his knowledge of history in particular that helped him navigate the often choppy waters of life in the Church during the challenges of implementing the reforms of the council.
“I can see pretty well how things have come about and have a fairly good idea of how things are going,” Father Vogelsang said at the time. “Having that sense of history has been a big aid to me. I’ve been able to keep things in perspective without running off in one extreme or another.”
Msgr. Joseph Schaedel first came to know Father Vogelsang as a high school student when the priest was in residence at Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Beech Grove, where Msgr. Schaedel was a member at the time.
He described Father Vogelsang as “a scholar and a gentleman.”
“He was very well read and appreciated good art and good music,” said Msgr. Schaedel, who retired in 2025.
“I think that’s an example to all of us priests, to be cultured gentlemen.
“And he was always devoted to his ministry as a priest, taking great joy in celebrating the sacraments. He was a good homilist as well.”
Father Bonke spoke about how Father Vogelsang applied his intellect to the challenges of parish leadership in the wake of Vatican II, helping him to create an effective “pastoral spirit” in leading faith communities.
This happened especially, Father Bonke said, when Father Vogelsang served as pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Jeffersonville from 1993 until his retirement 14 years later in 2007.
“He found that he could really bring life to that community,” Father Bonke said. “His experience in Jeffersonville affirmed himself as a priest and a pastor with gifts to offer the community. He liked Jeffersonville and enjoyed his time there. He thought that he made a real contribution to the Church there.”
As intelligent as his friend was, Father Bonke said that it didn’t separate him from those whom he served.
“A priest can’t use his intellect to be superior in any sense of the term. And Cliff was never that,” Father Bonke said.
In the nearly 20 years following his retirement, Father Vogelsang continued to assist sacramentally in many parishes across the archdiocese.
In his 2013 interview, Father Vogelsang noted how busy he kept himself in his priestly life and ministry.
“I think sacramentally I probably do more work now than I did as a pastor,” he said.
Msgr. Schaedel said that his dedication to ministry after retirement showed Father Vogelsang’s “firm commitment to the Church and his joy in celebrating the sacraments.”
“He could have just packed up and moved to some warm climate,” Msgr. Schaedel said. “But he remained in Indianapolis and celebrated the sacraments as often as he could.”
That service continued after he moved to Marquette Manor about 10 years ago, where he served the pastoral needs of its residents until just weeks before his death.
“He was kind of the unofficial chaplain there,” Msgr. Schaedel said. “And it gave great comfort to the people there, those especially who were chronically or seriously ill, to know that there was a priest in residence who would come and give them the anointing of the sick. He was faithful and as active as he could be until the very end.”
Clifford Ralph Vogelsang, Jr., was born on April 13, 1937, in Indianapolis to the late Clifford and Kathryn (Kalb) Vogelsang. Baptized at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral Parish, he grew up as a member of St. Joan of Arc Parish, both parishes being in Indianapolis.
After graduating from St. Joan of Arc School, Father Vogelsang became an archdiocesan seminarian, receiving priestly formation at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology from 1951-63, where he earned a bachelor’s degree and a master of divinity degree.
Father Vogelsang was ordained a priest on May 5, 1963, at the Archabbey Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln in St. Meinrad by Archbishop Paul C. Schulte.
That same year, he ministered as associate pastor first at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish in Indianapolis and then at Our Lady of the Greenwood Parish in Greenwood while also serving as an instructor at the Latin School of Indianapolis.
Father Vogelsang remained on the faculty of the Latin School until 1969. During that time, he also ministered as associate pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Beech Grove from 1964-69 and assisted as an instructor at the former Our Lady of Grace Academy, also in Beech Grove.
He first experience in parish leadership happened when he led St. Agnes Parish in Nashville as its administrator from 1969-72.
Father Vogelsang then led the former St. Andrew Parish in Richmond (now part of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish) from 1972-83.
He next served as pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Indianapolis from 1984-93.
Beginning in 1993, Father Vogelsang led St. Augustine Parish in Jeffersonville for 14 years. During that time, he also served as dean of the New Albany Deanery from 2000-07.
After retiring in 2007, he served as a part-time sacramental minister at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Indianapolis from 2009-12. †