Rev. Raymond J. Conard

With faith in the Resurrection of Jesus, we offer our prayers for Reverend Raymond J. Conard who entered eternal life Monday, November 27, 2017, at the age of 88, while staying at St. Paul Elder Services.

Father Conard was born Feb. 24, 1929, in Sugar Bush, Wisconsin, to John and Sylvia (Borley) Conard. He attended St. Norbert College, De Pere, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business. He attended special studies at St. Lawrence Seminary, St. Nazianz, for one year, and then earned a degree in theology at Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology. Bishop Stanislaus V. Bona ordained him on June 4, 1955, at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Green Bay.

Father Conard’s first appointment was assistant pastor of St. Mary Parish, Appleton. This was followed by several appointments as temporary pastor of St. Isidore Parish, Osman, St. Francis Parish, Hollandtown, and St. Margaret Mary Parish, Neenah. In 1958, he was appointed assistant pastor of St. Mary Parish, Chilton, and in 1962, assistant pastor at St. Andrew Parish, Manitowoc. In 1963, he was released for service as pastor of St. Francis Parish, Banica, San Juan de Maguana, in the Dominican Republic. He served in the Dominican Republic for 8 years. During this time, he co-founded Radio Corazones. In 1971, Father Conard returned to the United States for a few years to serve as pastor of St. Anna Parish, Saint Anna. He then returned to missionary work in 1973, this time in Haiti where he again founded and directed Radio Soleil. In 1984, he moved to the West Indies to found “Voice of the Island” radio station, and serve as pastor of Beaulieu Parish in the diocese of St. George, Grenada. In 1998, he served several parishes in the Green Bay, Wautoma, Redgranite, and Weyauwega area. His ministry was focused on the Hispanic/immigrant population. His final ministry was as a missionary in Kazakhstan from 2001 to 2006.

Father Raymond is survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded into death by his parents, John and Sylvia (Borley) Conard; and four siblings, Verna Schott, Marian Steffens, Maurice Conard, and Donald Conard.

Reception of the body by the Regional Vicar, Very Reverend William O’Brien, will take place at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Humboldt (Sugar Bush) at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 30, 2017. Visitation will continue until 7:00 p.m., with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. led by Reverend Carlo Villaluz. Visitation will continue on Friday morning, December 1, 2017, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.

The Funeral Liturgy, expressing our faith and our hope in the promised glory of the Lord’s Resurrection, will follow take place on December 1, 2017, at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Humboldt (Sugar Bush) at 10:00 a.m., with Bishop David Ricken, Celebrant and Reverend William Hoffman, Homilist. Burial will be at St. Hubert Cemetery, Sugar Bush.

All priests are invited to concelebrate. Please bring your alb; stole and chasuble will be provided. Members of the Leo Benevolent Association are asked to offer your three prescribed Masses.

Malcore Funeral Home is serving the family. Visit www.malcorefuneralhome.com to share a condolence with the family.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be made to Our Lady of Good Help in Champion or EWTN Catholic Television.

Fr. Conard’s family extends a heartfelt thank you to the caring staff of St. Paul Elder Services, Kaukauna; Myra Tlachac for her years of dedication and service to Father; and the many individuals who have shown various forms of support to Father over these many years.