Countless historic events have occurred over the past century, but for the Rev. Stephen Adrian, it has all happened in a lifetime.

Adrian, a St. Paul Seminary graduate, will celebrate his 100th birthday Saturday, April 14.

Born and raised in St. Paul, Adrian studied philosophy and theology for one year in the seminary. He obtained his doctorate from the University of Minnesota but opted to leave school so that he could work as a parish priest.

He was ordained at the St. Paul Cathedral in June 1939 and then served the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis for 19 years.

Adrian then became a chaplain in World War II. He also served Superior, Wisconsin for 19 years before moving to the Diocese of Phoenix. He spent the past 24 years at St. Anne’s Parish in Gilbert, Arizona. He retired in 1984 but still celebrates weekend Masses.

“I told the Lord, put my feet on the ground and I will work for you. There’s no such thing as retirement,” Adrian told local Arizona newspaper The Mesa Tribune.

Adrian is known for including children in his celebrations, often inviting them to the altar to listen to the Gospel near his feet.

“I’ve always liked to preach about what the good Lord said,‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ When you love one another, you’ll have a happy home and community,” Adrian said to the Tribune.

Deacon Keith Boswell of St. Anne’s Parish often assists Adrian and shared some of his experiences with the priest.

“An interesting fact about Father Adrian is that he has lived through nine popes,”Boswell said. “You’ll mention a name, and he’ll tell you, ‘Oh, that was the World War I Pope.’”

Boswell also said that despite blindness, hearing loss and trouble moving around, Adrian continues to enjoy serving and always claims that “God is good.”

“He’s absolutely remarkable,” Boswell said. “Father Adrian told me, ‘Inside, I have all the passion, desires and everything else of a 35-year-old man.’”

Senior Stephen Durkee is studying at St. John Vianney Minor Seminary. Durkee said he sees Adrian as an inspirational figure and true representative of priesthood.

“That’d be incredible. When you become a priest, a part of you wonders how many people you can serve, (how many) people’s lives you can touch and how many people you can bring God to,” Durkee said. “After 70 years of priesthood, there’s going to be a lot of people you’ve touched and a lot of people you’ve brought Christ to.”

Freshman Lisa Northenscold said she aspires to be an elementary school teacher and sees Adrian’s decades of service to the Catholic Church as a model for spreading Christ’s word.

“I would like to show the kids I teach God’s place in their life, and (Adrian) would be an example of how to follow God for a long time,” Northenscold said.

Boswell said that Adrian “keeps wondering why the good Lord has kept me alive this long” but knows “there must be a reason.”

Anastasia Straley can be reached at stra0669@stthomas.edu.