The Reverend Casimir A. Paluck, 88, passed away at the Benedictine Living Community in Bismarck on January 29, 2023.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:00 PM, on Friday, February 3, 2023, at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Bismarck, with the Most Reverend David D. Kagan, Bishop of Bismarck, as celebrant. The priests of the Diocese of Bismarck will concelebrate. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7:00 P.M. with a prayer vigil at 7:00 P.M. Thursday, February 2 at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. Visitation will continue one hour prior to Mass on Friday. Burial will be held at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Dickinson, ND at a later date.
Father Paluck was born on September 2, 1934, in Belfield, ND, to Casmir and Rose (Custer) Paluck. He was raised on the family farm near Belfield and attended rural grade school and later graduated from the Assumption Abbey High School in Richardton, ND. Father Paluck continued his education at St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN for two years followed by two years at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona, MN. He then continued his studies at St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, MN. He was ordained by Bishop Hilary B. Hacker, Bishop of Bismarck, on May 20, 1961, at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Bismarck.
Father Paluck’s first assignment in the Diocese of Bismarck was Assistant Pastor at the Church of St. Mary, Bismarck until 1967. He earned an M.A. in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Grand Forks. He then served as Administrator at the Churches of St. Hildegard, Menoken, and St. Anthony, Driscoll. For several years he was a teacher at St. Mary’s Central High School, Bismarck. His next assignment was Assistant Pastor at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit for two years. He then returned to the Churches of St. Hildegard and St. Anthony as Pastor until 1973. Father Paluck then became Pastor at the Church of St. Mary, New England and as Administrator at the Church of Sts. Peter & Paul, Amidon. He spent the next ten years serving as Pastor at the Church of St. Patrick, Dickinson. From 1993 – 2001 he was the Pastor of the Catholic Indian Mission. These parishes included St. Peter, Fort Yates, St. Elizabeth, Cannon Ball; St. James, Porcupine; St. Philomena, Selfridge; and Sacred Heart, Solen. For the next four months he served as Parochial Vicar at the Church of St. Joseph, Mandan. His next assignment was Pastor at the Churches of St. Joseph, Bowbells; and St. John the Baptist, Portal until 2003. He also served as the Administrator at the Church of St. Patrick, Crosby, and St. Luke, Noonan, for three months. Father Paluck then became Parochial Vicar at the Churches of Christ the King, Mandan; St. Martin, Huff; and St. Anthony, St. Anthony; until he retired July 1, 2004. In his retirement, Father Paluck continued to substitute in parishes throughout the diocese and also served as the Director of Continuing Education for Clergy and provided Sunday Mass at the Church of St. Vincent, Crown Butte.
Father Paluck is survived by his sister, Bernie Jacobs; nieces and nephews, Jon (Traci) Jacobs, Laura (Fred) Selensky, Ryan (Trish) Jacobs, David (Aileen) Paluck, Mark Paluck, and Mary Jo (Cesar) Lopes; sister-in-law, Mary Ann Paluck; and numerous great nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Ray; and brother-in-law, Melvin Jacobs.
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